Room Temperature is ideal environment.
Dermestids do not go dormant when exposed to cold they just freeze.
Dermestids cannot fly at temperatures below 80 degrees
They can eat their way out of anything except metal or glass.
They strip away all flesh and cartilage leaving the bone spotless.
A strong colony will clean a deer skull in about 3 days.
Museum mites, Lardoglyphus zacheri can quickly destroy a colony's ability to feed.
Favorite food: fresh dried meat the consistency of jerky.
They do not thrive on rotten meat. Dermestids love fresh meat.
They won't eat dried brick hard flesh.
Adult beetles are black and range in size up to 1/2 inch.
The larva do most of the cleaning. |