www.kleine-wesen.org
www.kleine-wesen.org
Dermestidae are a family of Coleoptera that are commonly referred to as skin beetles. Other common names include larder beetle, hide or leather beetles, carpet beetles, and khapra beetles. There are over 1,800 species described.Dermestids have a variety of habits; most genera are scavengers that feed on dry animal or plant material, such as skin or pollen, animal hair, feathers, dead insects and natural fibers. Members of Dermestes are found in animal carcasses, while others may be found in mammal, bird, bee, or wasp nests. Thaumaglossa only lives in the egg cases of mantids, while Trogoderma species are pests of grain. These beetles are significant in forensic entomology. Some species are associated with decaying carcasses, which may help with criminal investigations. Some species are pests (urban entomology) and can cause extensive damage to natural fibers in homes and businesses. They are used in taxidermy and by natural history museums to clean animal skeletons. Some dermestid species, commonly called “bow bugs”, infest violin cases, feeding on the bow hair.
Dermestidae are small beetles known for their distinctive and colorful patterns. They have rounded to oval shapes and hairy or scaly elytra. Larval Dermestidae have tufts of long, dense hairs and some have barbed setae for defense. They are typically found feeding on dry organic items and can be found on animal carcasses in natural habitats. Adult dermestids feed on pollen and nectar and are cannibalistic. The family has a long evolutionary history, with the oldest known member dating back to the Middle Jurassic. There are 74 genera within Dermestidae.
Die Speckkäfer (Dermestidae) stellen eine Familie der Käfer dar, die weltweit ca. 1300 Arten in 50 Gattungen aufweist. In Europa kommen davon 144 Arten aus 18 Gattungen vor, von denen wiederum 68 Arten in Mitteleuropa leben.
Die Speckkäfer sind eine Insektengruppe mit einer Vielzahl von Arten, die weltweit in verschiedenen Lebensräumen vorkommen. Sie haben einen kompakten Körperbau und sind meist braun oder schwarz gefärbt. Die Käfer können sowohl Aasfresser als auch Pflanzenfresser sein und können erhebliche Schäden an Wollstoffen, Fellen und Sammlungen anrichten. Einige Arten haben sich auf bestimmte Nahrung oder Lebensräume spezialisiert. Speckkäfer sind bereits seit Millionen von Jahren existent und fossil nachgewiesen.