Hefti et al. 1980

Hefti E, Trechsel U, Rufenacht H, Fleisch H. 1980. Use of dermestid beetles for cleaning bones. Calcified Tissue International 31: 45-47.

These authors evaluated the quantitative effects on a range of bone measures of carcass cleaning by Dermestes maculatus vs. manually. Standard Wistar rats, healthy and osteoporetic, were cleaned by either a beetle colony or by hand, a time-consuming and tedious process. Hand-cleaning invariably leaves behind small pieces of soft tissue, while the beetles are more thorough but may consume bone when the food supply of softer tissue is depleted. The beetles did not significantly reduce the measured aspects of the bones compared to manual dissection, as long as the rat carcasses were not exposed to the beetles for too long.

The lab beetle colony was maintained in a metal box, because the larvae can “burn through” some types of plastic. When not engaged in cleaning rat carcasses, the beetles were fed on “greaves”, the remainders of industrial fat production.