Australian carpet beetle Anthrenocerus australis
Adult beetle.
Size: 2-4mmShape: rounded
Colour: very dark with patches of small white hairs.
Antennae: small, tight club.
Distinguishing features: no scales. Adult is much darker than the Varied Carpet Beetle.
Larvae are a pest of wool, fur, feathers and other animal protein.
Damage is small neat holes often with cast larval skins with gritty frass.
This is a serious domestic pest in Australia but is rare in the rest of the world.
An infestation was discovered in an office in the V&A museum in 2010. They have also been found in Kensington Palace and a flat in Bradford in 2013.
![](imageresize.php?file=data/usercontent/ba7e586c4a9c5c333ecc1e6cdfb032655ec18c839f59cab0096e5681bc3ac24f.jpg&opts=w800h800e0)
![](imageresize.php?file=data/usercontent/ba7e586c4a9c5c333ecc1e6cdfb032655ec18c839f59cab0096e5681bc3ac24f.jpg&opts=w200h200e0)
![Anthrenocerus adult drawing Anthrenocerus adult drawing](imageresize.php?file=data/usercontent/38c76b488d12aaef073d27eb9940b07a08d498432a2e48fbca2bc7c58ef2345d.jpg&opts=w800h800)
![Damaged adult on sticky trap Damaged adult on sticky trap](imageresize.php?file=data/usercontent/11e457b22f2be5db9256b31803737b96625abc957666bad1fab9cc6b7bd1cc24.jpg&opts=w800h800)
Australian carpet beetle Anthrenocerus australis
100%
![](imageresize.php?file=data/usercontent/ba7e586c4a9c5c333ecc1e6cdfb032655ec18c839f59cab0096e5681bc3ac24f.jpg&opts=w200h200)
![Anthrenocerus adult drawing Anthrenocerus adult drawing](imageresize.php?file=data/usercontent/38c76b488d12aaef073d27eb9940b07a08d498432a2e48fbca2bc7c58ef2345d.jpg&opts=w200h200)
![Damaged adult on sticky trap Damaged adult on sticky trap](imageresize.php?file=data/usercontent/11e457b22f2be5db9256b31803737b96625abc957666bad1fab9cc6b7bd1cc24.jpg&opts=w200h200)