The adults are tiny and beautiful. The larvae are the villains of the wardrobe. The adults have rounded bodies covered in a mosaic pattern of white, brown and yellow scales, like a miniature stained glass window. They feed on pollen and nectar outdoors, visiting flowers in the summer sun. It would never be guessed that their larvae are the villains of the wardrobe. A beetle that is beautiful and destructive. The larvae are commonly called woolly bears. They are bristly, mahogany-coloured grubs that possess a highly specialised enzyme allowing them to digest keratin, the tough protein that makes up wool, silk, feathers and hair. This feat of biological chemistry enables them to consume materials that almost nothing else can break down. In the wild, they perform a valuable service, cleaning up dead birds, animal remains and old nests. Inside a home, they become a problem. The larvae hide in dark corners, feeding unnoticed on woollen rugs, cashmere sweaters and antique upholstery. They avoid light, moving slowly, leaving behind telltale holes and shed skins. An infestation can take months to notice, by which time significant damage has been done. The adults do not feed on fabrics. They do not even have mouthparts capable of eating wool. They exist only to mate and lay eggs near suitable food sources for their larvae. Controlling carpet beetles requires vigilance. Regular vacuuming removes larvae and their shed skins. Storing woollens in airtight containers denies them access. Freezing infested items for several weeks kills all life stages. The wardrobe is dark. The carpet beetle larva, a woolly bear, chews a hole in a cashmere sweater. The adult flies outside, a tiny stained-glass window, visiting flowers. The larva does not know it is a villain. The adult does not know it is beautiful. They just want to eat keratin. A reminder that homes are never truly separate from the natural world. Nature always provides a specialist for every available niche. The carpet beetle is proof.