First records of Attagenus smirnovi Zhantiev, 1973 from Italy in South Tyrol (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)

Abstract

The Dermestidae species Attagenus smirnovi Zhantiev, 1973 was discovered in two household in South Tyrol, making it the first official records for this species in Italy. The larvae feeds upon dried organic materials, making this species a common pest in museum collections and households in Central and Northern Europe. The spread of A. smirnovi in Italy was expected but has not yet been recorded. Further, developments of its distribution need to be monitored to prevent damaging infestations, especially to museum collections.

Keywords

• Introduced species
• Pest species
• Carpet beetle
• New national record