Dermestes is a
genus of
beetles in the family
Dermestidae, the skin beetles. The genus is distributed worldwide.[1]
The
larvae of these beetles feed on dead and dried animal material, including dead bodies, dried meat and fish, and body parts such as bone, hair, skin, and feathers. They are
cannibalistic on occasion. They are pests of museums, where they feed on specimens such as dried insects and
stuffed animals. They may be useful in museum settings as well, where they are used in facilities called
dermestaria to clean tissue from skeletons.[2] Some species may play a role in
forensic entomology when they are found on human corpses.[1][2]
Dermestes is a
genus of
beetles in the family
Dermestidae, the skin beetles. The genus is distributed worldwide.[1]
The
larvae of these beetles feed on dead and dried animal material, including dead bodies, dried meat and fish, and body parts such as bone, hair, skin, and feathers. They are
cannibalistic on occasion. They are pests of museums, where they feed on specimens such as dried insects and
stuffed animals. They may be useful in museum settings as well, where they are used in facilities called
dermestaria to clean tissue from skeletons.[2] Some species may play a role in
forensic entomology when they are found on human corpses.[1][2]