Black Carpet Beetle vs Click Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Black Carpet Beetle Click Beetle
Scientific Name Attagenus unicolor Alaus oculatus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Dermestidae Elateridae
Size 3-5 mm 25-45 mm
Habitat Indoors Underground
Diet Omnivores Predators
Regions Worldwide North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Black Carpet Beetle

A small, oval, dark brown to black beetle that is a major pest of textiles and natural fibers. Larvae are covered in long brown hairs.

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Did You Know?

Larvae can survive up to a year without feeding if conditions are dry.

Click Beetle

Has a special mechanism that allows it to snap its body with a click, launching itself up to 30 cm into the air. The large eyespots on its thorax startle predators.

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Did You Know?

Click beetles launch themselves into the air without using their legs — they use a peg-and-groove mechanism on their thorax that releases like a spring, reaching accelerations of 400g.