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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Carpet, Powder-post and Death-watch Beetles (Bostrichoidea) » Carpet Beetles (Dermestidae) » Carpet Beetles (Anthrenus) » Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci)

Species Anthrenus verbasci - Varied Carpet Beetle

Tufted-tail dermestid pupa B - Anthrenus verbasci Carpet Beetles for Maryland in May - Anthrenus verbasci Varied Carpet Beetle - Anthrenus verbasci Carpet beetle, but what's that on his tail end? - Anthrenus verbasci Varied Carpet Beetle - Anthrenus verbasci Which carpet beetle? - Anthrenus verbasci Varied Carpet Beetle - Anthrenus verbasci unknown carpet beetle - Anthrenus verbasci
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Bostrichoidea (Carpet, Powder-post and Death-watch Beetles)
Family Dermestidae (Carpet Beetles)
Genus Anthrenus (Carpet Beetles)
Species verbasci (Varied Carpet Beetle)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
A.caseyi
Size
1.7 - 3.5 mm
Identification
Dorsal surface with scales of two colours: white and yellowish brown (may change to grey in older specimens). White scales condensed on lateral margins of pronotum, a prescutellar spot on the hind margin, and in several spots on elytra, usually partly merging into three tranverse fasciae.
Important characters apart from colour: Eyes not notched in front (diagnostic vs. A.flavipes and A.parvus), antennae 11-segmented with club of three segments (diagnostic vs. A.coloratus)
Range
Cosmopolitan
Remarks
The most abundant species in buildings. Sometimes taken for, or confused with, A.flavipes.
US native according to ITIS.
See Also
Anthrenus flavipes: Similar colour pattern, but without distinct prescutellar spot on pronotum, white scales on sides of pronotum usually divided into 2 or 3 patches, elytra with a distinct white spot on base, but not adjacent to scutellum. Most important difference: Eyes with an anterior notch in A.flavipes.

Anthrenus page has general information.
Internet References
Varied Carpet Beetle
ITIS
Contributed by Jim McClarin on 9 February, 2007 - 3:59am
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Tom Bentley, Beatriz Moisset, Boris Bueche
Last updated 3 March, 2009 - 7:16am

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