Warehouse and cabinet beetles are relatives of the carpet beetles. Carpet beetles are pests of stored woolen clothing or wool carpeting while cabinet and warehouse beetles may be in grain products, seeds, and dried fruits. They may be solid black or mottled with yellowish-brown markings. Larvae are long and narrow, yellowish to dark brown and hairy. If carpet beetles infest stored foods, they are likely to be in animal protein products such as dried cheese and meat.
Indianmeal moths are the most common moths infesting food in the home.
The wing markings are distinctive, but may not be clear if the scales have been rubbed from the wings. Only the larvae feed in infested products, which can be any dry stored food or whole grain. Foods infested with these insects will have silk webbing present on the surface of the product. Larvae often leave the food when mature and may move long distances before stopping to spin a cocoon. It is common to find caterpillars and cocoons on ceilings and walls.