DERMESTIDS EAT MEAT

Cleaning skulls is easier than cleaning a dermestid colony

I'm still transfering bugs from the old colony to the clean one. We found that using a deli tray works pretty slick. I placed it down into the substrate and baited it with some moist fresh pork trimmings. The larvae can get in but the sides are to slick to climb and  probably moved a couple hundred today. I baited the tray again and will check it in the morning. Hopefully this chore will be  done by next week this time.

Then I'll start on box number two. Shuddering at the thought of another multi-thousand transfer but it is part of having a colony or three of dermestid beetles.

It is always surprising at how many small larvae you find hiding out until you get a lot of the bigger ones out. Those are going to be the bone cleaners in three or four weeks.