Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Bostrichiformia
Family: Dermestidae
Genus: Anthrenocerus
Species: Anthrenocerus australis
Common name: Australian carpet beetle
Anthrenocerus australis is a small invasive species of flying beetle and is a native of Australia. It has a compact, rounded, oval body with a length of 2.2-2.5mm. The body colouring is a dark brown; the pronotum has patches of light-coloured setae and three-way bands of light-coloured white and tan setae across wing cases. It can be distinguished from other Australian Anthrenocerus by having complete bristle bands on elytra (wing cases). Their legs and head are not obvious and are often hidden under the body.
Adult Anthrenocerus australis beetles lay eggs near food sources and larvae feed, often for more than six months, on the surface or inside the material. The slow-moving larvae are 4mm in length and are scavengers that feed voraciously on a variety of animal-based material in homes and other buildings. These include woollen fabrics, carpets, furnishings and stored fabrics. They are brown in colour and covered in bristles. As the larvae grow they moult, leaving cast brown skins.
After a pupal period of typically two to three weeks, the adult beetles emerge in spring or summer. These adult beetles feed outdoors on nectar and pollen and are sometimes found on the inside of windows as they try to fly outside.
The complete life cycle of the carpet beetle takes nine to twelve months.
A 2.5mm Anthrenocerus australis
A 2.5 mm Anthrenocerus australis adult beetle feeding on pollen from a small blossom of a Christmas Berry tree (Genus Photinia)
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