Varied carpet beetle

Mullein flower beetle ( Anthrenus verbasci )

The mullein flower beetle ( Anthrenus verbasci ), also called museum beetle, is a representative of the skin beetles ( Dermestidae ). Like its relatives, the cabinet beetle ( Anthrenus Museorum ) and the carpet beetle ( Anthrenus scrophulariae ), it is a common material threat.

Features

The 1.7-3.5 mm long, rounded, almost spherical mullein flower beetle has a dark brown base color with a variable light brown and white scales pattern. One can see three bright, wavy cross bands usually. The larvae are hairy elongated and dense. You have two tufts on the abdomen end with Arrow hair that can be spread in case of danger to protect and easily break off their peaks. Her short probes are elfgliedrig and thickened club-shaped on the last three limbs.

Occurrence

The animals come before synanthropic world and almost everywhere in the company of people.

Way of life

The larvae feed on keratin and chitin, especially dead insects, animal hair and feathers, so they are particularly feared for entomologists as pests in insect collections. In Central Europe, this type is the most common pest in these collections.

As the beetle imago feeds on nectar and pollen. They live in houses, apartments and camps, in the wild they usually sit on flowers, where usually takes place the pairing between late May and early June. The females look for it, appropriate places to lay their eggs, either in the vicinity of man or bird nests, tree holes and similar, dry places where they find the larval food. The eggs are laid there in protected crevices. The life expectancy of the beetle is about two weeks.

Larva of the page

Larva from the front