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Furniture Carpet Beetle, Anthrenus flavipes (LeConte) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Dermestidae)

Jerry E. Gahlhoff


Release Date: 10/28/2020

Reviewed At: 2/12/2024

DOI: 10.32473/edis-in145-1997

Agriculture

Abstract

This document provides an overview of the furniture carpet beetle, Anthrenus flavipes, a common pest of upholstered furniture. It details the beetle's life cycle, including its egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages, and describes its physical characteristics. The article highlights the beetle's ability to digest keratin, making it destructive to various household items. It also discusses the medical and economic significance of infestations and offers management strategies, including sanitation, inspection, and insecticide treatments, to control and prevent damage caused by these pests.  First published: December, 1997.

About this Publication

This document is EENY019, one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date December 1997. Revised January 2007, September 2010, November 2013, and January 2017. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication. This document is also available on the Featured Creatures website at http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/.

About the Authors

Jerry E. Gahlhoff, graduate assistant; Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

How to Cite

Gahlhoff, J. (2013). Furniture Carpet Beetle, Anthrenus flavipes (LeConte) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Dermestidae). EDIS, 2013(4). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-in145-1997

Contacts

Johnalyn Gordon
Johnalyn Gordon
Specialist
University of Florida

assistant professor, urban entomology, Department of Entomology and Nematology, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Davie, FL

Publication #EENY019