Dermestid Beetle Fact Sheet

Quality on Display ~ Dakota Skulls ~ Quality on Display 1515 7th St NW ~ Minot ND ~ 58703 ~ 701-720-0447
*European Mounts are the fastest growing trend in taxidermy!* With the increasing interest in trophy mounts many sportsmen are looking for a lower cost option to preserving the memory of the hunt. European mounts fill that void for today's budget conscious hunters. Dakota Skulls specializes in skull whitening and bone preservation using flesh eating Dermestid beetles. On the leading edge of the latest trends in skull preservation, Dakota Skulls can be trusted with your business for quality, lasting European Mounts. Whitetail Deer-Mule Deer-Elk-Moose-Bear-Mountain Lion-Sheep-Antelope-Boar Anything with a skull can be preserved as a European Mount.
How we got started				Dermestid Fact Sheet
		Custom Taxidermy		European Mounts
European Mounts	Gallery		Antler/Skull Restoration		Pricing
How we do it	Prep/Storage/Shipping		Shipping/Order Form		Display Panels

Dermestid Beetle Fact Sheet
Various Stages	Time Interval	Characteristics
Egg	3-4 Days	Creamy white, 2mm long
Larva		Averages 9 molts
Pupa	7-8 Days	Hairy- barley visible to 1 inch
Adult (preoviposition)	10 Days	Male beetle smaller than female
Adult (oviposition)	2 Months	Will fly in temp above 80 degrees
Adult - total life span	5 Months	picture of larva
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.