Beetle - Thylodrias contractus

Wow!

Very good find indeed. I've seen drawings of them in with other family members and they just look completely out of place.

… Jim McClarin, 20 March, 2007 - 7:59pm

credits! a new one for bugguide!

Hi Brad,
anybody said you have to leave home to make discoveries ;-)

This is a male Thylodrias contractus, a very unusual member of the carpet beetles (Dermestidae).

… Boris Büche, 20 March, 2007 - 10:04am

Thanks Boris. It really is a

Thanks Boris. It really is an odd beetle.

… Brad Barnd, 20 March, 2007 - 4:08pm

better than in your drawers

As you no doubt are located near a large collection of preserved insects, I was curious if this beetle shared the same bad habits as Dermestes. And sure enough, Downie and Arnett state that Thylodrias contractus is "a common pest of museum collections".

So I guess you could say 'better to have found this one on top of your desk, than in your drawers' :)

… Tim Moyer, 20 March, 2007 - 9:38pm

Exactly

Yes, wouldn't want these in my collection. I actually found this in my lab office (in a building with mostly genetics labs) so I'm not sure where it came from. Maybe there are some dead bugs in the corner or windowsill.

… Brad Barnd, 20 March, 2007 - 10:33pm