Brown Carpet Beetle (Attagenus smirnovi)

Brown Carpet Beetle, a reference photo — Photo: Pentinsaari M, Anderson R, Borowiec L, Bouchard P, Brunke A, Douglas H, Smith A, Hebert P (2019) DNA barcodes reveal 63 overlooked species of Canadian beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera). ZooKeys 894: 53-15 · CC BY 4.0 (licence)

Attagenus smirnovi, the brown carpet beetle, is a species of beetle from the family Dermestidae. It is a synanthropic pest which lives in human buildings, homes and museums and eats wool-textiles, carpets, skin and fur. Due to its specific epithet smirnovi, the beetle is also known in the United Kingdom as the 'Vodka beetle', after the Smirnoff brand of vodka.

From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Is it venomous or poisonous?

We have no record of Brown Carpet Beetle being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.

Easily confused with

Attagenus cyphonoides
Attagenus brunneus
Attagenus unicolor
Reesa vespulae

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Dermestidae
Genus: Attagenus
Species: Attagenus smirnovi

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