Latin: Attagenus smirnovi
The first time the brown carpet beetle appeared in Europe was in 1961 in Moscow. Here, the first specimen was discovered by E.S. Smirnov, which is also the reason for the brown carpet beetle’s somewhat Russian-influenced species name Attagenus smirnovi.
Originally, the brown carpet beetle originated in Africa, but the dating of the first specimen in Denmark is very accurate. It was found in 1963 in Herlev, but since then the brown carpet beetle has become very common and is now found in all parts of the country.
Appearance
The brown carpet beetle is, as the name suggests, generally brown. But the beetle actually has different shades of brown around the body. Across the hind body are the cover wings of the beetle, which are brown. But the head and forehead are dark brown and almost black. The full-grown brown carpet beetle grows between 3 and 5 millimeters long.
The brown color continues in the larvae of the brown carpet beetle. They have an almost golden brown color. At the back tip, they have a small hair tuft that has the shape of a brush. The larvae can grow up to 8 millimeters long.
Biology and behavior
The brown carpet beetle is a beetle in the subfamily (Attageninae), which all share the same common feature. They live on the dry remains of plants and animals and are not unwilling to consume all that is left by other animals.
The brown carpet beetle originates from Africa, where the temperature is somewhat different than in Denmark. This affects the beetle. It thrives best at temperatures that mimic these tropical climates, which is why it prefers degrees of around 24 ° C. In other words, the brown carpet beetle must retreat indoors if it wants to multiply at our latitudes.
Both the adult beetle and their larvae can be seen all year round before dying in the Danish homes.
The female lays an average of 34 eggs during the approx. 20 days that she lives. Depending on the conditions, temperature, humidity, and available food sources, it takes 6-18 months for the brown carpet beetle to undergo its full development from egg to larva and to adult beetle. The larva changes skin 12 times. The optimum temperature is 24 degrees. As the beetle prefers to retreat indoors to reproduce, this also means that egg laying can take place all year round.
The female likes to travel some distance to find the right location for her egg laying. And the brown carpet beetle is quite an excellent aviator. On hot summer days, the beetle will be able to fly from house to house without difficulties and fly in through open windows. In larger buildings, it can also crawl from apartment to apartment by piping.
However, it is not always the brown carpet beetle itself that is responsible for the transport. Often the spread of the beetle is due to beetles or larvae being moved from one place to another through food, furniture, textiles, or the like.
Damage
The brown carpet beetle is certainly not a picky size. They are often considered pests as they can easily gnaw their way through feathers, packaging, hides, textiles, and wool. They can therefore cause great damage in homes or in public institutions such as museums and archives.
In the household, the brown carpet beetle is especially a nuisance when it attacks the textiles in the wardrobe or settles in the food in the kitchen cupboards. Often the beetle will find sheltered places such as cracks, crevices, and similar places where it can live on organic material such as dead insects or crumbs that often find their way to such places.
Prevention and pest control
It can be an advantage to take a little preventive action to prevent the brown carpet beetle from moving into one’s home. This is best done by being frequent with the cleaning and vacuuming. And it is especially important to be thorough with the cleaning around cracks and crevices, where the brown fur scanner will naturally settle down. In this way, you can also most likely get rid of the larvae that need peace and quiet in the same place for long periods at a time.
If the brown carpet beetle is present in an annoying large number, one can also use insect spray or insect powder on the affected areas. However, these products must not be used in areas where it may come into contact with food. Also store dry goods in air-tight concealers, and discard foods where there are signs of the beetle or its larvae. Neither the brown carpet beetle, its eggs, nor larvae are dangerous to ingest, but they are hardly an appetizing addition to cooking.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
"Skadedyr i træ" (Timber Pests - Only danish)
"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)