Hello Oberli, It looks like it could be a black carpet beetle larvae, though it’s quite pale in colour from what I’d expect; however, this could be your answer as you say you’ve found previous evidence of carpet beetles. Typically black carpet beetles eat animal products so they’re probably not interested in your artificial petals if they are synthetic but if they’re made with animal products or some of the packaging is they may be after that.
A pest expert can probably weigh in but I thought I’d throw in my two cents nickels. William Shepherd Collections Officer Swift Current Museum 44 Robert Street West Swift Current, Saskatchewan S9H 4M9 Phone: 306-778-4815 Fax: 306-778-4818 From: pestlist-ow...@museumpests.net [mailto:pestlist-ow...@museumpests.net] On Behalf Of Oberli Fabienne Sent: Friday, August 12, 2016 8:14 AM To: pestlist@museumpests.net Subject: [pestlist] What kind of you larvae is this? Good evening, The Museum of Art and History Fribourg (CH) is moving its collection. For the first time I found now a living larvae and I can’t identify it. I would be grateful to hear your opinions. The picture is not good, but it’s the best I could take with my magnifier and cell phone. The larvae was found in one of many similar old cardboard boxes, containing artificial petals of textile and some sort of colouring and coating. I control hundreds of boxes like these and it surprises me that I find empty cocoons of Carpet and Cabinet Beetle in it. Do they feed from the cardboard and the old newspapers in it? Or could it be the colouring/coating? I’m looking forward to read your answers! Best wishes, Fabienne Oberli Assistant Project Leader / Restaurator Musée d’art et d’histoire Rue de Morat 12 CH-1800 Fribourg