The Care, Feeding & Use of Dermestid Beetles

Dermestid beetles, also known as carpet or larder beetles, have long been used by education facilities and taxidermists to clean bones. The reason for their popularity is simple. They are easy to maintain and are good at their job. They are also harmless to humans but can cause damage to unintended materials if they escape.

  1. Housing

    • The most important aspect of the Dermestid beetle̵7;s housing is that it be escape-proof. Wandering dermestid beetles will eat any animal parts they can find, including mounts and skins that are already preserved. House them in a solid walled container or tank large enough to hold the animal you want them to clean. Any plexi-glass or glass aquarium will work. They will only be able to climb up the slippery walls about one inch, but adults can fly so put a solid lid with ventilation or a mesh covered lid over the container. Place cut up pieces of cardboard on the bottom as substrate. Lightly mist the tank once a day. This should only be a very light misting; overall the habitat needs to be kept dry. Keep the beetles in a room with a temperature of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Cleaning

    • Clean out the old pieces of cardboard as they start to disintegrate. If the habitat becomes wet or smells, then completely clean the tank. To do this, remove the beetles and throw out all the litter in the tank. Wash out the tank with any dish soap and water and dry it before setting up the habitat again.

    Feeding

    • The only food dermestid beetles need is the animal parts that you give them for cleaning. To prevent the habitat from getting too moist and smelly, prepare the animal parts first. Remove the skin and as much meat as you can, including internal organs, the brain and eyes. Between specimens, you can supplement the beetles' diet with cat or dog food or small pieces of raw meat.

    Uses

    • Dermestid beetles can be used to gently clean off most any skeleton without causing damage to the bones. This includes fish, birds and mammals. If the animal specimen can fit into the dermestid beetle tank, then the beetles can clean it. The skeletons can then be used for educational classroom or museum pieces.