Overview
Dermestidae usually feed as larvae on dry material of animal origin, such as insect remains, dry carcasses, hair or feathers, and they may occur in the nests of mammals, birds or social insects. Adults of some dermestids (
Anthrenus
,
Trogoderma
) are commonly found on flowers and feed on nectar or pollen, but others feed on the larval food source or not at all.
Description
Oblong to broadly ovate beetles almost always with deflexed head and clothed with erect or decumbent hairs or scales, sometimes forming a pattern. Except for the Dermestinae, Thorictinae and
Trichelodes
, all dermestids have a median ocellus on the head.
Larvae elongate and subcylindrical to ovate and fusiform, with distinct tergites, and densely clothed with long hairs, some of which may be barbed (
spicisetae
) or spear-headed (
hastisetae
), serving as a defence mechanism by detaching and entangling potential predators (Nutting and Spangler 1969). Lacinia terminating in sclerotised spur or spine; mandible usually with membranous lobe and setal brush at base of mesal surface; and the urogomphi absent, except in
Dermestes
(and the exotic Thorictinae and Orphilinae).
Distribution
The family includes a number of cosmopolitan stored product pests, such as
Dermestes
species (Dermestinae), which attack hides, furs and skins, as well as some foodstuffs, species of
Anthrenus
(Anthreninae) and
Attagenus
(Attageninae), which may damage carpets, blankets or other woollen fabrics, and various dermestids, particularly
Anthrenus verbasci
, which damage dried insect specimens. Only
Trogoderma granarium
is known to feed normally on cereal products, but it has not yet become established in Australia. Two other introduced pests known to attack insect collections have been found in the A.C.T.: the parthenogenetic
Reesa vespulae
, which has also been introduced into New Zealand (Waller and Watt 1979), and the unusual
Thylodrias contractus
(Thylodriinae), females of which are larviform. Except for
Trichelodes delicatula
(Trinodinae) and an undescribed trinodine from North Qld, all native dermestids belong to the large subfamily Anthreninae. Included are
Anthrenocerus australis
, which has been reported as a household pest, the myrmecophilous
Myrmeanthrenus frontalis
, and
Thaumaglossa nigricans
, which lives in mantid egg cases. [Armstrong 1945; Hinton 1945a; Mroczkowski 1968; Peacock 1978.]