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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Bostrichoidea » Carpet Beetles (Dermestidae) » Megatominae » Anthrenini » Anthrenus » Unidentified Larvae (Anthrenus Unidentified Larvae)
Photo#363399
(found in bed -- and we have cats) - Anthrenus
Copyright © 2010 jcallegari

(found in bed -- and we have cats) - Anthrenus
Cypress, Harris County, Texas, USA
January 9, 2010
Size: 4mm
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Contributed by jcallegari on 9 January, 2010 - 8:32am
Last updated 9 January, 2010 - 8:20pm

Moved
Moved from Carpet Beetles.
… Blaine Mathison, 9 January, 2010 - 8:20pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Blaine Mathison, 9 January, 2010 - 8:17pm login or register to post comments

Carpet Beetle Larva Eating Skin Flakes
Based on current experience with these guys, my guess is it was mining for shed skin flakes around the bed. I found my larva in the bathroom, apparently doing the same. I'm trying to rear it to the adult beetle. It's an interesting, low maintenance pet. :) Feeding it fish flakes in a more contained environment now. You could think of them more as freeloaders vs. parasites.

… Andrew Williams, 9 January, 2010 - 9:43am login or register to post comments

 
Or it could be a pest
If there is anything on the bed of animal origin, such as wool, silk, feathers/down, etc, it could be feeding off of that and doing damage.

I agree, though, that they're harmless- they might feed on a cat, but only after it was completely dead.
… Chuck Entz, 9 January, 2010 - 6:04pm login or register to post comments

 
true - i didn't think about the blankets
..
… Andrew Williams, 9 January, 2010 - 6:15pm login or register to post comments

Probably unrelated to the cats...
This looks like the larva of a Carpet Beetle (Dermestidae). You can read more about them here.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 9 January, 2010 - 9:17am login or register to post comments

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