carpet beetle
noun
: any of several small dermestid beetles (genera Anthrenus and Attagenus) whose larvae are destructive especially to woolen goods
Examples of carpet beetle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Not only that, insects, including silverfish, termites, and carpet beetles, to name a few, love to feed on paper.
—
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2024
They can sometimes be mistaken for bed bugs due to their size and shape, but unlike bed bugs, carpet beetles have wings and can fly.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 29 May 2024
Bed bugs have six legs and antennae and are wingless, which distinguishes them from similar-looking insects like carpet beetles.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 29 May 2024
Environment Science The relatives of modern carpet beetles may have fed on dinosaur feathers and played an important role in recycling organic matter.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2023
Airing out the mattress is a good start to taming those troublesome particles, as is removing the carpets and giving them a good beating with a fireplace poker or baseball bat, which can shake out carpet beetle dung and other nasty things.
—Gregory McNamee, CNN, 20 Mar. 2021
Along with the ticks, the team found microscopic hairs from carpet beetle larvae, creatures that are commonly found in birds’ nests today.
—John Pickrell, National Geographic, 12 Dec. 2017
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Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2024
They can sometimes be mistaken for bed bugs due to their size and shape, but unlike bed bugs, carpet beetles have wings and can fly.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 29 May 2024
Bed bugs have six legs and antennae and are wingless, which distinguishes them from similar-looking insects like carpet beetles.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 29 May 2024
Environment Science The relatives of modern carpet beetles may have fed on dinosaur feathers and played an important role in recycling organic matter.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2023
Airing out the mattress is a good start to taming those troublesome particles, as is removing the carpets and giving them a good beating with a fireplace poker or baseball bat, which can shake out carpet beetle dung and other nasty things.
—Gregory McNamee, CNN, 20 Mar. 2021
Along with the ticks, the team found microscopic hairs from carpet beetle larvae, creatures that are commonly found in birds’ nests today.
—John Pickrell, National Geographic, 12 Dec. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Carpet beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carpet%20beetle. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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