Dermestid beetle help

[abolthunter]

I got a batch of beetles on the way and have a few questions, this forum has been a ton of help already, thanks.
First I am wondering on how everyone keeps the temp well regulated, I'm going to have my beetles in an uninsulated shed in aquarium for now. I live in South Dakota, so the weather is decent right now but will be very cold before long. I figure I will use a reptile heating mat, not sure if those have a thermostat setting or not or if it's just trial and error and keeping an eye on the temp. Second, I have an antelope head that I shot last weekend and was going to clean first, and I know you should skin and clean as much off as possible for a speedy job, but I was wondering if I put the head in there and just let the beetles go at it for a long time (weeks) if that would be good way to establish my colony, I am getting 300 beetles. Thirdly I am wondering if you need to be careful not to put anything with maggots in to be cleaned, my antelope head doesn't have any, just a curiosity question, I don't know if that would hurt the colony or just lead to some flies in the enclosure. I know I have more questions, but I'll save them for later when i think of them.

[RD Martin]

Amigo...you need to do a lot more reading on the subject. Start by doing a search and READ! 300 beetles are not going to do much. HEAT and Humidity is what you need to get them to EAT and multiply. If your nights are cool then your beetles will not eat till it gets HOT. The reptile heaters I have used work by keeping 3 degrees warmer than the air. READ on the subject. On WARM days if you do not turn it off you can COOK your beetles. Beetles ARE picky eaters. You do not want your meat to rot before they can clean it up. Research! Prepare the food! YES MAGGOTS ARE A BAD IDEA! FREEZING is the best way to kill other insects and larve. These are basics you NEED to know. If you do not your colony will not prosper. Do not put the whole antelope head in. Skin, remove lower jaw, eyes, fat, excess meat and ALL the brains. The brains are the last thing they will eat and they STINK and make a greasy mess! Rinse the skull well and get the sheaths off.  I soak off the horn sheaths. THEY HAVE TO COME OFF. It is a good idea to freeze the skull for a couple of days then thaw/dry in front of a fan. Then it is ready to go in the tank. You need to spend a couple of hours at least with your friend the search button. There is a ton of info that will get you on the right track.

[Sea Wolf]

The antelope head needs to be cleaned. Get rid of as much flesh as you can cut off and get the brains out or else you are going to have a putrid, rotting mess and a lot of dead beetles. I had beetles for a while and kept them in a cellar. You could try the under-tank type of reptile heater but make sure there is plenty of bedding for them to get away from the heat. I have personally had those heaters malfunction and fry the tanks occupant so they need to be checked daily. The tank should be enclosed in some sort of insulated enclosure or even the tank heater won't keep them from freezing in the deep winter. If you have a storm and lose power. Kiss the bugs goodby unless they have some insulation to keep them from loosing heat too fast.

[jennifer]

I have been thinking about getting some beetles so I have been doing some research.  This site will answer most of your questions.  http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/mammals/dermestid.html

[buckeyebullet23]

These little wonders don't require a degree to maintain. I thought it would be a big deal until i got my first colony and they just exploded and did an awesome job. Do get the sheaths off of the antelope. I like to keep it around 65 to 70 degrees as far as temp. Just get the big stuff off as much as you can  and let it dry a little and they'll do the rest. let the meat on the head get kind of like jerky texture. I put some tumbling sawdust in a big rubbermaid tub with a couple paper towels that i spray with water every day or so.  They're actually pretty low maintenance. Good luck.

[AndyB]

the site Jennifer had put up is a very helpful site that is were i got a lot of my info

[Pirate]

I am in Maryland and I deal with cold temp in the winter, not as cold as you though.  I built a wooden box that I insulated with the sheet foam for houses.  I put a small oil radiator style heater in the box.  I set it for about 72 deg.  It kicks on and off and keep the box the same temp all winter.   When it gets hot in the summer I put a couple 2 liter bottles of ice in the box to keep the temp in the 70s.  Remember at around 80 deg they start to fly.  I bought a cheap tempature guage that has an outside sensor.  The sensor is in the box and base unit is in my shop.  I can easily keep track of any unusal temp changes.  The biggest thing is you have to find a way to keep the temp in the 70s or they won't eat.  Other than that its not rocket science.  Good luck.

[abolthunter]

Thanks for all the help. I love the radiator idea, i was planning on building an insulated box, but wasn't sure how to regulate the temp when we have days that go from 20 to 50 or 0 to 30 or worse and that sounds perfect. Looks like I'll have to bring them along slowly, just give them some bits at a time until I can give them the cleaned speed-goat head. Again, thanks everyone for the info, if anyone can think of any other little helpful hints let me know.

[RD Martin]

Clean the lower jaw and try her out first. I ask local friends for freezer burnt meat and feed when I run out of specimens. Small pieces at first...it will be easier and the colony will be easier to monitor. My out building is insulated and I use an electric heater. Works for Montana winters. Good Luck!

[abolthunter]

What about fish? We do some bowfishing for carp once in a while in the summer, would it be alright to feed them the carp? I assume I would want to scale them first if so.

[RD Martin]

meat is meat...would dry it a bit in front of a fan. Fish bones are cool too if you have the patience to put them back together. Remember to gut first.

[abolthunter]

Good point, they seem to be enjoying the old buffalo jerky and burger that's been sitting in my dad's freezer for a couple years right now. Thanks again for all of the help.

[ty1on20]

I talked to the head of the department at the University of Michigan Museum, if you want your beetles to boom, use a skull that you really don't care about and leave the brains in it, yes I said it, this will create a cavity where the beetles will lay thousands of eggs, and they love the brains, it is packed with the most protein. I built a tank that is made of 1/4 glass and is 36"x36"x36" I used the lizard matte heaters, but I put them mid way up so they were not right next to the beetles, then I insulted it. I too, keep my beetles in a shed, in Michigan. I had four mattes, but only needed 2. last year we hit below zero the tank never went below 60 degrees. I used puppy chow as a base, not wood shavings or cotton, this stuff gets nasty quick, plus the dog food actually cuts down on the smell, not sure why, but it did, the bugs will create their own bedding, just use cardboard to place your skulls on.
when your colony gets going, they will eat the brains too, I leave them in and my skulls are still done in a day or two.just my 2 cents.

[The Taxidermologist]

The key is the fat and "some" moisture, not the brain itself. Brain material is extremely fat. However, certain species have much more fat on them and the beetles reproduce very well on them. Ducks, Seagulls, Procelliformes, Loons, Alcids, etc. as well as Coons, Bears, and other fat-predisposed mammals work well. If you leave the brain in, you will be asking for stink like you wouldn't know, as well as a higher liklihood of mites and infection by coffin flies, maggots etc. There is also seasonal periods when reproduction is much higher.

[RD Martin]

Listen to the Taxidermologist ....he knows his chit! Leave the brains in and you are asking for more problems than you can deal with especially you just starting out.