Carpet
Beetle (four photos)
Species Anthrenus lepidus

There were swarms of Carpet Beetles on Yellow Sweet
Clover on
Antelope Island on this mid-May day. © Carol Davis
5-13-2019

You can find these carpet beetles on Antelope Island any
warm
day during the spring and summer, but this is the first
time I have
noticed them in such large numbers. They
were mainly on the
north side of the island. © Carol Davis
5-13-2019
This Carpet Beetle on Common Yarrow from Antelope Island
differs from
Anthrenus verbasci in
pattern and
the fact that it has two spots on the pale
part of the body we laymen would call shoulders (the
experts call it the pronotum).
According to Wikipedia,
the
adult beetle feeds on pollen and the larva feeds on
dead plant and
animal matter. Other species of carpet beetles, like
Anthrenus
Museorum, are
notorious for destroying museum collections (like pinned
insects).
©
Carol Davis, 5-31-2009© Carol Davis, 5-31-2009, Antelope
Island
Home -
Insects and
Bugs of Utah
Other Home - Amazing Nature