Dermestid Beetle Info - The Good & The Bad

Dermesid beetle information is found all over the internet but most of it is regurgitated information that is incomplete or in some cases doesn't even apply to the species that is commonly used for processing skulls.

If you took a look at the first page of a Google search you will find several informational sites with some information that is good but usually doesn't provide a new dermestid user enough knowledge to ensure success in raising a colony of beetles.

The vast majority of the non-educational sites are businesses that are selling beetles as a business which I may start doing too. A lot of the information provided by businesses is very general or incomplete and taken from other sites that are lacking in some of newer information that has not filtered into the industry.

The problem with good sales copy is issues tend to be down played. It is understandable why this happens but if one is new to raising these insects it can set the new owner up for failure. I trusted the person who sold me my bugs but I also have a science background and there was just not enough information to satisfy my curiosity.

You would expect any care sheet to cover enough possibilities and provide enough information to at least understand variables. However, that would  require a book length sheet....oh yea, that's exactly why I wrote the book. I couldn't find enough sound information on dermesteds so I went digging for more and better information. That is when my colony of beetles started exploding, I used this information in my hobby.

So now I'm selling something and that is information - giving people answers and hopefully
a better understanding on life-cycles and how to manipulate the insects environment for your benefit.   DERMESTID BEETLES: Successfully  Raising Dermestes maculatus And Avoiding Common Problems is available and sold on Amazon.com the url to my author's page is   http://www.amazon.com/J…/e/B016SNEG84/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1…

Happy bugging

NEW SKULL TO CLEAN

Hubby's deer skull is out of the freezer, defleshed and waiting for degreasing

 We didn't get any pictures of this buck before he went into the box. He is a typical sized 3 pointer with small brow tines as well an extra  small dropper on one side. Symmetrical  with good highth and width. In another couple of years he would have been truly impressive.

I had to utilize my ventilated box as a lid because the horns were too high for the 96 quart box. With this set up I could do a much larger head without any problem and have it well ventilated.

I am fascinated by the beautiful structure of the the bone and the elegant sweep of the horns. It will be appreciated for years and I continue to learn the skills of this form of taxidermy.

Considering using bio-degradable degreaser rather than the detergent/water method. Something new to try and evaluate.

I'll follow up on how things went and maybe post photos!

SKULL CLEANING - CHANGING FOR BETTER OR WORSE

Processing skulls is changing - finding a cost effective way.

I have spent endless hours reading forum posts, traveled millions of internet miles searching for useful information on skull cleaning, degreasing and bleaching. In the process I have watched a pattern develop and wonder if it is progress or a step back in skull preservation.

Today many professional taxidermists as well as the small technicians are looking at faster ways to clean skulls and stronger chemicals are being used to get the job done in less time.

Fixatives and polymers can stabilize damaged skulls

Along with the drive for faster production the use of fixatives is becoming more common place.  I suspect that this is to prevent the appearance of surface damage and to provide structure support for the skulls.

Personally, I am ambivalent regarding this trend. I feel that quality of a product should not depend on money but in this case the buyer may have no clue because on the surface the mount looks good. The craftsman has to find a way of remaining in business while making a profit and providing a service with value.

 Does a good looking skull that is glued and stabilized with polymers qualify as quality? Maybe?

Beetles, Bones and art

Beetles, skulls and bones - Art and Jewelry? YES!!

Most of my posts have been about beetles and taxidermy but beetles doesn't have to be about euro style mounts.

Dermestids can be about cleaning bones and skulls to make jewlery and art.

I'm not talking about clunky, grotesque things but beautiful pieces that look like carved ivory. 

Bones can be carved into bold bracelets and necklaces or into small delicate charms.

 Full skulls can be painted or etched to become artwork that is absolutely stunning.  Please visit Etsey or check out Pinterest page Dermestid Beetles - To bare bones. I have been finding items and ideas that appeal to the artist in me and I think many others would love them. 

Having a small colony of dermestids would allow a budding bone artist to clean their own bones or skulls. 

New year, same old me and lots of flesh eating beetles!

New year, new things to do and enjoy also I've started a new DIY manual. More that as time goes on.  The first one proved I can do it. Next one will just be frosting on the cake.

Sooo, This past year my bug world has produced a number of nice skulls most waiting for my attention.  They all need to be degreased and then I will decide what to do with them.

The artist in me is already seeing carved or painted skulls.

I also wished I had kept some flat bones and long bones from the rode kill deer we got this last summer. They would have made great beads or flat pieces to paint or carve.

If one takes up a hobby like this you need lots of stuff...like another freezer for the over flow. Because we fixed that problem I can continue looking for those great dead things to reduce to their simplest form.

More on the bugs, my plans for 2016 later.

HUMIDITY ISSUES IN A DERMESTID COLONY

Humidity and its affect on a beetle colony

The atmosphere moisture within a dermestid colony can present health issues for the clean up crew. First off the bugs do very well in high humidity ranges but if there is not enough air moving through out the container, problems such as mold establishing itself in the substrate is possible  When I say air movement I am not talking bathroom fan creating a miniature wind storm drying eggs, small larvae as well as any head to be cleaned. 

Ventilation of a dermestid colony is simple,  enough air to control humidity and odors and no more.   

Most have no idea how to figure out how to accomplish the simple so if a little is good then a whole lot more must be great.  Not....

The dermestid beetle book spells out how to provide just the right air movement.

Visit http://dermestidbeetles.info

Do you simmer or boil a skull? Do you do it for money? 

If so you need to understand  why most professional taxidermists, almost every museum, other institutions  and most serious hobbyists do not use this method.

There are many people that do their own euro trophies and the vast majority do them by the simmer/boil method. This process may work well enough to make the skull owner happy, but there should be a higher standard for anyone producing Euros for clients.

These people should educate themselves on actually making a professional mount that has as little bone damage as possible. The problem with the simmer/boil method is it actually destroys the structure of bone by melting collagen which is the structural building block that makes bone hard.  This process will weaken skulls and cause the surface to become rough, flake or shed calcium dust, none of which is a good thing..

Add to the fact these people do not seem to know that bleaching a skull does not remove any grease and the heat process tends to drive fats deeper into the bone not out of it.

Mixing Dawn into water and simmering may remove the surface grease but it will not touch the deep grease. Oils left in the skull often migrates to the surface  producing a yellow or splotchy colored mount.

If you are doing skulls professionally you should provide a quality product and that takes time...there is no such thing as a one day quality Euro mount. There is information available in doing Euros that will stay white and not show damage and it is not hard to find!

One other point I want to make - just because you see something on U-Tube does not make it right. Especially when the do-er has no idea what is being done to their trophy.

Because it looks OK now and it is cheap is no reason to destroy what could be a skull of a lifetime!