Adult : 7-9mm long, black, with the front halves of wing covers yellowish-green and hairy. Larvae : 12-15 mm long, reddish-brown to dark brown, with brownish bristles.

Eggs (upto 800 in a lifetime) laid singly or in small clusters on suitable food material. Larvae molt 5-6 times and pupate before becoming adults. Complete life cycle takes between 2-3 months and adult life span is 3-5 months.

Both adults and larvae are active feeders. Fully-grown larvae migrate to pupate, often boring their way into wood, cork or other solid materials. Adults attack many animal products such as skins, hides, guts, dried egg yolk, cured and dried meats, fish, ham bacon, cheese, museum specimens including insects, hides, figures, horn and hair.