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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Cleroidea » Checkered Beetles (Cleridae) » Korynetinae » Necrobia » Red-legged Ham Beetle (Necrobia rufipes)
Photo#39730
Necrobia rufipes - Red-legged Ham Beetle - Necrobia rufipes
Copyright © 2005 Joyce Gross

Necrobia rufipes - Red-legged Ham Beetle - Necrobia rufipes
UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Alameda County, California, USA
December 13, 2005
Size: 6mm
Necrobia rufipes - Red-legged Ham Beetle
These beetles somehow find their way into the UC Berkeley Museum of Vertebrate Zoology specimen prep room, where they eat both the dead specimens and the dermestid beetle larvae (Dermestes maculatus) that clean the specimens. They are considered a pest in the museum and elsewhere.

White (1) says that this species is a pest in cured meats.

Other Necrobia: N. violacea has all-dark legs and antennae. N. ruficollis has light-colored shoulders (bases of the elytra).
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Contributed by Joyce Gross on 27 December, 2005 - 2:02am
Last updated 18 January, 2018 - 2:56am

Beautiful image.
Gorgeous image, asu usual. Thanks for the educational, and anecdotal information, too! I'll never forget the first time I found this species. Literally covering the hide of a deflated calf carcass. Ooh, boy, did I almost loose my lunch that day:-)
… Eric R. Eaton, 27 December, 2005 - 3:52pm login or register to post comments

 
I'll second that
image moved from Cleridae page to new species page
… Robin McLeod, 30 December, 2005 - 9:34am login or register to post comments

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