Brown Bug

This critter was downstairs yesterday caught in a plastic cover. I thought it was quite handsome in its black and tan outfit.


I took this picture of the squash seed so you could see how small the beetle was.

Update March 31, 2010:  Thanks to Anon's comment today, I now know this is a larder beetle.  That allowed me to find this description (well there's more on the Iowa State University Department of Entomology site):

Larder Beetle

The larder beetle is a very common and widespread household insect pest.  The insect's name comes from it's presence in dried, cured meats stored at room temperature prior to refrigeration.  Today, larder beetles may be a pest in stored foods and other items of high protein content.  Larder beetles outdoors are valuable “recyclers” that play an important role in the breakdown and recycling of animal protein.
The larder beetle adult is slightly longer than 1/4th inch.  It is roundly oval and dark brown to black with a characteristic light colored band running across the body.   This light band contains 6 more or less prominent dark spots.  Larder beetle larvae are up to 1/2 inch long.  They are tapered in shape and covered with sparse, stiff hair.   There are 2 upward curved spines on the posterior end.

 They have a larvae picture as well there.