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Dermestid Beetles

ShedHuntinFool

ShedHuntinFool

New Member
Hey I was wondering if anyone knew of anybody who uses Dermestid Beetles in Iowa? I was wanting to get a nice european mount and I've never heard of anyone around Iowa that uses Dermestid Beetles. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
I just order 5,000 of them and will have them here next week. Are you looking to get your own or have someone do it for you. I have use them in the pass just moved and got rid of them and now I am start it up again. I you are looking for someone to do it you can pm me or email me.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: River Bttm Boy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I believe Hoyt-R-Nothin is/was cleaning skulls with beatles. I would contact him. </div></div>

He still is. I can let him know to check this thread.
 
This is a good topic. I am not sure why it is in this forum but a good topic.

How many beetles are required to clean up a skull. Also what kind of time does it take and how do you contain them? How about cost?
 
ironwood-
I looked into these a little bit.
The bugs themselves aren't very expensive. I think you can get 2000 on ebay for about $90. You can store them in big plastic totes or aquarium anything they can't climb basically. Not sure how fast they'll clean a deer skull that depends on how many beetles you got. They seem fairly easy to maintain. Keep them warm and dry. Other paople that acually have them would be able to give you better info i'm sure.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bowstring</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
They seem fairly easy to maintain. </div></div>

I've heard exactly the opposite. I've heard there is an absolute sience to keeping them alive. Mosisture, Temp, Feed, was all a huge pain.

There is an artical in "Bowhunter" the mag about the beetles.

Let us know guys.
 
They must be fed year-round to keep them multiplying. In the off season I have heard of guys picking up road-kill to keep them eating. My wife gave me a big NO on the beetle idea when I told her I would have to keep them in the house in the winter. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
My biggest concern would be the smell. They say the beetles themselves don't smell it's the food that gets to stinking.
I think it would be a fun hobby though.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 180class</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My biggest concern is what would happen if they managed to get out in your house. </div></div>

The dog certainly wouldn't ever look the same! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shocked.gif
 
I had some for a couple years. They were kind of a pain, and I ended up letting them die. One big problem I had was keeping them in. At 1st I had an aquarium which wasn't big enough. So I got a big rubber tote and made a top out of plywood that I buggied to the tote with was tight. Then I cut a small window and put plexi-glass with latches on it. This allowed me to monitor the beetles without opening the top everytime. Plus I needed to water the beetles every couple of days, so it was easy access. I made a couple small holes for the cords from the heat rocks inside. I thought it was a pretty good setup, but they always found ways out. They would climb up the cord and have access to the top. If not the cord, then they seemed to find a way to reach the top either by the sides or the rack inside. And once they made it to the top, they could squeeze through any crack or chew through something to make one.

The other thing to think about is that you need to have it temperature controlled. I would love to have had mine in my barn but the temperature flucuated too much. So I put it in my garage which worked, but then I had to deal with a few that got out and some stink that they had. Once they were in the garage a few found there way into the house, which wasn't good!

Also, make sure you have a steady supply of food, because those beetles reproduce really quick. I started off with 100 and in a short time had thousands.

But they sure do a great job cleaning skulls! Just be prepared..
 
how do them little suckers work on a skull that has dried out? would just soaking an older skull in a bucket of water for a few days get them to chomping again?
 
if they multiply too rapidly, i'm sure you could pass a few hundred off to some of us on here /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
From what I understand Teeroy, you do not want to put a old dried up skull in there, yet not a wet one. They say if you have a fresh deer kill to cut most of the junk off and put it in front of a fan for a couple days so it drys out a little. I guess I would soak it for a few days then let a fan dry it off and then put it in. That is just my thoughts, I have not experimented doing something like that yet.
 
One caution I have read is they will eat your old flesh like a tanned mount. Not sure if that's true and they'd eat something that's just tanned leather and fur BUT I read it somewhere. not a huge thing unless you keep in same area and don't take care to keep them in.
 
I've heard that too Skip, stories about some beetles getting out or if the temp. gets too warm they can grow wings. They have been rumored to enjoy snacking on mounts!
 
I HAD a huge colony of them. HUGE pain in the rear. Hated them. Stinky fickle little beasts. Temp, humidity, air circulation, containment, contamination to the colony all issues. I've said it before but I'd rather chew the meat off a skull myself than have another colony of those blasted things.
 
Tell us how you really feel, Rack. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Nice to hear from you, though. Happy Holidays and hope things are going well to you and yours!
 
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