Ack! My bugs have bugs...

[alforddm]

As many of you know I have dermestid beetles. I kept them all through the winter in an insulated rubbermaid box. Well, it rained almost every day in May, that combined with a lid that didn't shut well enough has allowed ham beetles (they eat the larvae) and mites to take over my large colony. It's looking like my entire colony is about to die.

However, when we first got our beetles last July, we had them in a smaller box. When I moved them to a larger box I didn't manage to get all the bugs out of the smaller box. A combination of laziness and reluctance to throw away possible bugs kept me from throwing out that box. They literally haven't been fed in 6 months and were not heated all winter. I have no idea how they survived but at least a few did! I've transferred them into a new box with a lid that has a seal and I have my fingers crossed that they are mite free.

Low humidity is the biggest way to control mites and where we live, that might be near impossible... I've really had alot of fun with these beetles... I hope I don't have to buy new ones. They aren't terribly cheap...

 

[Susie570]

I've always wondered... Will they eat your skin if they come into contact with it? :shock:

 

[alforddm]

I've always wondered... Will they eat your skin if they come into contact with it? :shock:

No they only eat dead stuff.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I've always wondered... Will they eat your skin if they come into contact with it? :shock:

No they only eat dead stuff.

Ah, but we are always shedding dead skin, are we not? :thinking:

Market them as "exfoliating beetles"!

*Ahem!*

It's looking like my entire colony is about to die.

Oh no!!!

Low humidity is the biggest way to control mites and where we live, that might be near impossible...

Hmm... what about getting reusable dessicant to absorb excess moisture? http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=desiccant+reusable

You put it in the microwave so all the moisture steams out of it and it is ready to go again. I don't know if it would make your microwave reek like damp dermestid beetles, though. :? Maybe you could find an old microwave at a garage sale or something?

 

[Susie570]

I don't know if that's a workable solution or not, but it sounds like a great idea, MSD

 

[EnglishSpot]

Perhaps access to a portable dehumidifier???

 

[Susie570]

Perhaps access to a portable dehumidifier???

Right, I was thinking about a dehumidifier in the room with the bugs at the very least.

 

[alforddm]

They are outside bugs. They will eat lots of stuff in your house if they happen to get loose. Plus they smell. Not something I want in an enclosed space.

The reusable dehumidifier packs could possible work. I hadn't thought about them. I'll research when I get home.

The bugs from the old box look good so far. They were munching on a bit of rabbit yesterday. There's just not many of them. It will take a while to build my colony back up. I'm going to keep at least two separate colonies from now on.

 

[funnies50]

Yike! Bugs! *squeak*
I remember how it always grossed me out to see beetles with little bugs running all over them. Shudder...
Hope your beetles get better!
*runs off screaming*

 

[Susie570]

Yike! Bugs! *squeak*
I remember how it always grossed me out to see beetles with little bugs running all over them. Shudder...
Hope your beetles get better!
*runs off screaming*

:lol:

 

[funnies50]

:evil: Hey, it's not funny, Syber!
Lol, is it possible to kill the bugs on the beetles without touching them? Cuz if it is, somebody tell me quick.

 

[alforddm]

:evil: Hey, it's not funny, Syber!
Lol, is it possible to kill the bugs on the beetles without touching them? Cuz if it is, somebody tell me quick.

The mites are actually very very small. The only way you can tell they are infected is they get what looks like dust on their backs and stop eating.

 

[funnies50]

Allllllright, forget I said anything. :x

 

[alforddm]

Allllllright, forget I said anything. :x

I'd be happy to post some videos or pictures. I can see you're quite enamored by the topic...

please don't smack me I'll be good now I promise

 

[funnies50]

Lol alforddm...sure, that would be great!
Okay I won't smack you now I will stop complaining about bugs I promise
Actually, I think I got freaked the first time I saw these tiny little yellow dots running all over Coco's skin and couldn't squish them with my fingernail. So it's not really anybody's fault...
Whatever runs over my pets I get scared of. Really. Not the first time.