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Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

National Moth Week was July 23-31, 2022! See moth submissions.

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in Wisconsin, July 10-12


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Genus Dermestes

unknown bug - Dermestes talpinus beetle id - Dermestes marmoratus Larval Stowaways - Dermestes Dermestes? - Dermestes frischi Dermestes caninus Germar - Dermestes caninus Dermestidae, lateral - Dermestes maculatus Dermestes  - Dermestes Carpet Beetle - Dermestes talpinus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Bostrichoidea (Carpet, Powder-post and Death-watch Beetles)
Family Dermestidae (Carpet Beetles)
Genus Dermestes
Explanation of Names
Dermestes Linnaeus 1758
'skin/hide eater'
Numbers
17-18 spp. in 2 subgenera our area, >80 spp. in 4 subgenera worldwide(1)
Size
5-10 mm (the largest members of the family)
Identification
D. ater: scutellum dark, no contrast against elytra ()
D. caninus: broad band of pale hairs across elytra near base, and thin band near apex ()
D. frischii: top of head and anterior & lateral margins of pronotum with pale yellowish hairs; central portion and posterior margin of pronotum dark (♂; ♀abdomen)
D. maculatus: scutellum yellowish-brown to reddish-brown; pronotum and elytra with uniformly-colored whitish or pale yellowish hairs (♂; ♀abdomen, larva)
D. marmoratus: basal half of elytra with large pale patch extending from costa half-way to midline
D. talpinus: scutellum whitish or pale yellow; pronotum and elytra with a mix of reddish-brown and pale bluish-gray hairs, more densely haired than D. maculatus ()
Photo source:(2)
Range
worldwide
Habitat
on carrion, hides, sometimes stored foods
Food
skin of dead animals, stored meat products