Abstract
Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) is one of the most common beetles in poultry farms and livestock facilities. Adults and larvae damage these facilities through feeding and at the moment of pupation. This species has also been recognized as a significant component of the cadaveric fauna. Trials were conducted to study the effect of substrate type, particularly of the wood type, and larval density on D. maculatus pupation. Pupae were more abundant in soft wood than in the other types of wood, decreasing abundance when density increased. Larval mortality was greater in the presence of 60 larvae. Time until pupation was lesser in soft wood than in the other woods but an increasing duration was observed when density increased. Pupa average duration was 7.25 ± 0.28 days (174 ± 6.72 h). Time until adult showed the same results that those obtained for the time until pupation. The adult length was greater in soft wood than in the other woods but it decreased when density increased. Soft wood and larval density have effects on hide beetles pupation, affecting larvae preference for woods, larval mortality, time until pupation, time until adult, and adult morphology. Recommendations to farmers or animal breeders and scientists were provided as well as data of forensic importance in the post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation
Highlights
IntroductionThe genus Dermestes is a commercial and household pest. These beetles are common in places that contain an appropriate food source or pupation site such as homes, museums, livestock facilities, etc. (Florent et al, 2015)
The aims of this work were to study the effect of different substrates, wood types, and larval densities on D. maculatus pupation under controlledlaboratory conditions, to increase the knowledge on the biology of these beetles, to prevent wood damage, and to supply data of forensic importance in the estimation of the post-mortem interval (PMI)
Pupal mortality was not affected by larval densities (F = 0.03, df = 2;15, P > 0.05) (Fig. 3b), a total pupal mortality was of 31.6% was calculated
Summary
The genus Dermestes is a commercial and household pest. These beetles are common in places that contain an appropriate food source or pupation site such as homes, museums, livestock facilities, etc. (Florent et al, 2015). The interest for rearing dermestids under laboratory-controlled conditions and in particular for rearing hide beetles, Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), arose from the damage that these insects cause to stored animal products and foods for human consumption (Osuji, 1975; Samish et al, 1992; Rajendran & Parveen, 2005) around the world These animal products are prone to insect pest at the processing stage. The damage is the result of adults and larvae feeding as well as larvae pupation (Clark, 1929; Hinton, 1945; Kritzinger, 1955; Shuttleworth & Galloway, 1961; Cloud & Collison, 1985) The latter larval stage causes damage by tunneling into wooden structures and various other construction materials (Levinson et al, 1967; Jefferies, 1979; Wildey & Wayman, 1979; Cloud & Collison, 1986; Stafford et al, 1988).
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