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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Carpet, Powder-post and Death-watch Beetles (Bostrichoidea) » Carpet Beetles (Dermestidae) » Dermestes » Dermestes ater
Photo#138158
Dermestes - Dermestes ater
Copyright © 2007 Brian E Womble

Dermestes - Dermestes ater
Naples, Collier County, Florida, USA
August 18, 2007
Size: see photos
I am well out of my league on this one.

The best guess I can make so far is Throscidae, but I am pretty sure I'll be corrected on it.

A co-worker brought this specimen to me after capturing it in her cricket-rearing tank (she owns a gecko). She reports that she sees them active in the insectarium at all times of the day. She also says that they are somewhat wily, and fly out of the tank when she opens the lid for maintenance or to get a meal for her lizard.

Finally, she says that she only sees adults in the tank, and has pawed through the substrate without locating anything that resembled larvae or pupae.

Images of this individual: tag all
Dermestes - Dermestes ater Dermestes - Dermestes ater Dermestes - Dermestes ater Dermestes - Dermestes ater
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Contributed by Brian E Womble on 20 August, 2007 - 1:48pm
Last updated 9 November, 2008 - 4:35pm

Moved
Moved from Dermestes.
… John R. Maxwell, 9 November, 2008 - 4:35pm login or register to post comments

Dermestes ater (Andreas Herrmann det.)
*
… v belov, 8 November, 2008 - 3:09pm login or register to post comments

Dermestid
the guide has some larva illustrated as well. Must be feeding on dead crickets.
… Phillip Harpootlian, 20 August, 2007 - 2:27pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank you very much
We have them around the Medical Examiner's office from time to time as well, especially after mummified remains come in. We do cases like those of mummified and/or decomposed remains in a room that is separate from the regular autopsy suite. It definitely helps keep the insect population under control.

Come to think of it, looking at the guide page for Dermestes, I recognize the larva right off the bat - I just didn't put 2+2 together!

Back when I kept a tarantula or two, I remember seeing these in my cricket-rearing tank as well, but I seldom saw adults. It was almost always larvae.

Thanks again, Dr./Mr. Harpootlian
… Brian E Womble, 20 August, 2007 - 3:05pm login or register to post comments

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