Varied Carpet Beetle vs Sumac Flea Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Varied Carpet Beetle Sumac Flea Beetle
Scientific Name Anthrenus verbasci Blepharida rhois
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Dermestidae Chrysomelidae
Size 2-3 mm 6-8 mm
Habitat Underground Heathland
Diet Omnivores Herbivores
Regions Worldwide Eastern North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Varied Carpet Beetle

A tiny, round beetle with mottled white, brown, and yellow scales on its elytra. It is a worldwide pest of natural fiber collections.

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Did You Know?

Museum curators consider it one of the greatest threats to insect specimen collections.

Sumac Flea Beetle

A relatively large flea beetle with a mottled brown and tan pattern providing excellent camouflage on sumac bark. Despite its size, it retains the powerful jumping ability of flea beetles.

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Did You Know?

Larvae of this beetle carry a shield of their own excrement mixed with toxic compounds from their sumac host plant.