carpet beetle


noun

any of several small beetles of the family Dermestidae, the larvae of which are household pests, feeding on rugs and other woolen fabrics, especially Anthrenus scrophulariae (buffalo carpet beetle) and Attagenus piceus (black carpet beetle).
Also called carpet bug.

Origin of carpet beetle

First recorded in 1885–90

Example sentences from the Web for carpet beetle

  • And there's the carpet-beetle, whose babies eat carpets unless your mother tempts them with pieces of red flannel.

    Little Busybodies |Jeanette Augustus Marks and Julia Moody

British Dictionary definitions for carpet beetle

carpet beetle

US carpet bug


noun

any of various beetles of the genus Anthrenus, the larvae of which feed on carpets, furnishing fabrics, etc: family Dermestidae