(Dermestes lardarius)
Biology:
The common bacon beetle grows up to 9 mm long. The front half of its wing covers are a striking yellow-brown color with three black dots on each side, while the rear half of the wings is black. The larvae, which are up to 15 mm long, taper towards the rear end and are very hairy. The larvae bore into solid materials to pupate, the pupae are found in wood, mortar and bricks, among other things. In addition to its occurrence in homes, leather and fur shops, meat processing plants, warehouses, etc., the flying beetle is mainly found outdoors on carrion and in bird nests. Beetles and pupae can overwinter outdoors.
Other bacon beetle species, such as the uniformly brown to black-colored spiny bacon beetle(Dermestes maculatus), are comparable to the common bacon beetle in terms of their way of life and damage pattern.
Damage:
The larvae of the bacon beetle spoil foods such as bacon, ham, sausage, cheese, but also fatty plant materials such as nuts, copra, cocoa beans, chocolate, etc. through their feeding activity and excrement. They also destroy hides, leather and woolen textiles by scraping and pitting. The beetles themselves do not eat.
