Adult varied carpet beetles range in length from 2-3 mm. The body is rounded with an irregular pattern of color. The dorsal surface is covered in fine scales of brownish-yellow, white, and black color. The white scales form patterns that partly merge to form three wavy transverse bands. The underside has scales of greyish-yellow color. Adult varied carpet beetles have wings.

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Varied carpet beetles are a well-known household pest. They are found in homes in attics, oriental carpets, tapestries and wood-based wall-to-wall carpeting. They are known to infest factories, museums, and warehouses.

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They feed on dead insects, dried food and animal products. And can also damage upholstery, carpets clothing fabric, woolen fabrics, furs, hides, feathers, horns, hair, silk, bones. 

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It can take 249-354 days to three years for varied carpet beetles to grow from an egg to an adult.

The life cycle of varied carpet beetles ranges from 1-2 years depending on temperatures. Low temperatures extend the length of the larval development cycle and pupation. Similarly, high temperatures shorten the time spent in development. Outdoor populations tend towards longer lifespans due to the impact of winter temperatures on their rate of development.

 

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