Black carpet beetle
(Attagenus unicolor)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | not listed |
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| NatureServe | not listed |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description
Size
Total length: ⅛″ to 3 ⁄16″
Similar Species
Habitat
Nests of birds, rodents, ants, and bees; human houses; and businesses, including grain elevators and museums.
Ecology
Season
Year round
Behavior
Life Cycle
Larva Food/Hosts
Any animal products, cereal products.
Adult Food
Any animal products; cereal products; and when outdoors, plant pollen.
Distribution |
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Sources Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 10/2/2025). |
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| 10/2/2025 | ||
Occurrence |
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Common household pest |
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Taxonomy
Order
Coleoptera (beetles)
Suborder
Polyphaga (water, rove, scarab, long-horned, leaf, and snout beetles)
Infraorder
Bostrichiformia
Superfamily
Bostrichoidea (carpet, powderpost, and deathwatch beetles)
Family
Dermestidae (skin beetles)
Subfamily
Anthreninae
Tribe
Attagenini
Genus
Attagenus (black carpet beetles)
Subordinate Taxa
black carpet beetle (Attagenus unicolor japonicus)
black carpet beetle (Attagenus unicolor simulans)
black carpet beetle (Attagenus unicolor unicolor) 
Synonyms
Attagenus megatoma
Attagenus piceus
Dermestes megatoma
Dermestes piceus
Dermestes unicolor
Common Names
black carpet beetle
Visitor Photos
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Bill Reynolds |
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I believe this larva to be a Black Carpet Beetle Larva. I am find them in my vacate bee hives. |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
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Slideshows
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Other Videos
Pelzkäfer Larve Attagenus unicolor.avi
DocRitze
Black carpet beetle / Scarabée noir
Ally's Animal Channel
Visitor Sightings
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Bill Reynolds
7/29/2016
Location: Nemedal Township, Pennington Co., Minnesota
I believe this larva to be a Black Carpet Beetle Larva. I am find them in my vacate bee hives.
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
