Beetles for Skull Cleaning

[pupper]

Hi folks,

Anyone out there have or know someone with beetles for skull cleaning?

If so post up some info,

Cheers.

[Wild Images]

I have some :-D

[drivintrucks_shootinbucks]

where does one go about finding beetles? i am just getting into cleaning skulls for myself and am gonna try both beetles and boiling see which one i like best

[natebavis]

Hey pupper if you go on "hunting tips and tricks" website (free to join) justin ott has a very informative method of how to make a good skull mount . Check it out

Nate

[pupper]

Hey pupper if you go on "hunting tips and tricks" website (free to join) justin ott has a very informative method of how to make a good skull mount . Check it out
Nate

haha thanks Nate!, I am trying to use beetles to keep the mass of the skull as I clean it prior to being measured for the B&C book. Boiling works great for making a nice looking skull but it does shrink the skull. Plus I dont think I can find a big enough pot to boil this sucker in.

[Monashee]

Find a place out in the yard away from where dogs can get at it . Get some fresh horse manure put some hay under the skull then cover with manure then cover with a couple inches of hay , leave for 2 months . Done

[dutchie]

Hey pupper if you go on "hunting tips and tricks" website (free to join) justin ott has a very informative method of how to make a good skull mount . Check it out

Nate
HAHAHA

Sorry Bro I have to Laugh...

Pupper is the owner of the "hunting tips and tricks" site IIRC... It is some good PR for him tho!!!

Cheers

Dutchie

[Pete]

you are looking for dermestid beetles. There are several sites out there that sell kits to get you started. Nasty little critters. Can clean off a bear skull in a couple of days. You do not want them to escape, fur, head mounts, rugs, wool sweaters they eat them all.

[2x4x16]

Try your own compost pile in the back yard. Leave the skull out for even a partial day - till the maggots get to it, then bury it in a compost pile. I do all my bear and deer that way now. With warm temps it will be clean down in a couple of weeks. 2 years ago I got a spring bear cleaned it down with the knives then buried into a pile of compost - it took only 2 weeks! I could not believe it. 8 hours of bleach. Immediately after the bleach I soaked over nite in Simple Green to stop the bleach action and to make it smell good. be careful of the bleach make sure to check it every couple of hours.
I know lots of people say not to use bleach, but it works great and fast - I think the trick is to soak it again in the Simple Green to stop the corrosive action of the bleach. it has work great for me and I have 2 bear and a deer I have done this way.

[Darksith]

If you put the skull under a evergreen on the ground, they will find it. The beetles would bury all my squirrels for me under the spruce trees.

[Wild Images]

pm sent
Pupper you can send him over and I will let the bugs do thier thing and ship it back, then you can take care of the degreasing and whitening if you want

[srupp]

hmmm me too??????lol

Steven

[Wild Images]

hmmm me too??????lol

Steven

Ya Steve U too, pm sent

[TyTy]

has anyone ever tried wiring it to a crab trab and tossing it in the chuck/lake??

[joshvt82]

I have some up here in the okanagan

[SteadyGirl]

i'll have to try that horse manure and hay one. i came across a pretty nice tom cat skull i could go retrieve:mrgreen::wink:

[MOOSE MILK]

I droped a griz skul in a crab trap in Saanich inlet and checked it everyday and got a bunch of crabs to boot. But some a-hole ripped off my skul just as it was cleaning up real nice.

[srupp]

Thanks Wild Images...never tried these but heard lots about them..

Pm Sent..

Thanks

Steven

[pg83]

I'm a big fan of the compost too. Got a nice blacky in there at the moment in fact. Never tried using beatles yet though it sounds like they work well.

[358mag]

I have some up here in the okanagan
any room left it the box ?? have another black bear head to drop off

[joshvt82]

any room left it the box ?? have another black bear head to drop off
always room

[4pointer91]

I am looking for some beetles to finish cleaning a whitetail buck skull. My wife says it has to get out of the freezer. I have boiled and cleaned most of it just need some fine cleaning done. Is there anyone in the Okanagan that is set up for this?

[emerson]

Old thread bump. I'm looking for anyone local PGish? Sounds a like paying someone is a better deal for me.

[pete_k]

Thread bump for PG area.
Need some work done. Bear skull

[MtnBoy]

I have a huge colony but I'm in Mission...sorry.

[Wrj]

Old thread bump, looking to start or adopt a colony. Having trouble sourcing Canadian Beetles, if anyone has a line or wants to sell, let me know via PM. Thanks in advance :grin:

[LuckyHorseshoe]

Google hunters Union located in salmon arm. They do dermestid beetles

[sherpa-Al]

Check out the website Taxidermy .net-skull cleaning, lots of good people on there willing to help with a start up of beetles. I had beetles for a few years that I had ordered from a guy from Kodiak Alaska. It was a real pain in the ass getting them across the border, but I did it. Hard to keep up here in the Northwest, all dead now. Look on the Saskatchewan outdoor forum as well, beetle guys there too. If you can find Canadian Beetles, that's the route I'd go.

Al

[300H&H]

I ordered some dermestid beetles from bonesandbugs.com (http://www.bonesandbugs.com) because I had just harvested a Boone and Crockett grizzly bear (http://www.huntingtipsandtricks.com/a/Grizzly_Bear_Hunt) and I wanted to ensure I could clean the skull carefully without losing any size as boiling could take shrink the skull. I read a lot about them and the owner sent instructions on how to properly take care of them and start the colony off right. Here are some tips on starting your colony and cleaning skulls and bones. You can read more in depth on the bonesandbugs.com website.
1- You have to place them in the proper environment. An old chest freeezer or a rubber maid containor will do. Just make sure you use a screen lid so no other insects can enter the colony as they can decimate it.
2-Make sure there is proper bedding like non-cedar wood shavings, shredded newspaper, or chopped up cardboard. The beetles will form their frass over time which is produced from the material they digest. Do not allow it to get too deep or moisture can develop mold. Styrofam should be added as the larvae burrow into it and metamorphse into beetles.
3-The colony must constantly eat, meat scraps will work in between cleaning skulls. Make sure you do not introduce fly larvae to the colony as it will kill the beetles. Freeze any suspect skulls 24 hours and let them thaw before introducing them to the colony. This will dry the meat as well as you do not want too much moisture in the colony.
4-If humidity is low spray folded paper towels with water once a week to keep moisture available. The optimal temperature is between 75-90 degrees F. If it's cooler they will be less active and hotter temps will kill the beetles and allow them to fly.
5-Make sure they cannot escape, they will eat your hides and mounts if they get out.
How To Clean Skulls
http://www.huntingtipsandtricks.com/images/userimages//102_3518.jpg.thumb.jpg1-Remove as much of the meat as possible with a knife. Do not put cut marks into the bone.
2-Dry the skull, freezing is effective. If the meat is jerky like it is ready to place in the colony.
3-After the skull looks relatively cleaned, shake all bugs out, place in water for 24 hours, dry, then place in colony again to clean the rest of the meat.
4-Remove beetles from the skull and place the skull in an alcohal bath consisting of 50/50 alcohal and water mix in order to kill remaining larvae or beetles that you cannot remove.
5-To Degrease the skull submerse in water with Dawn detergent. You will have to remove the water/soap mix daily in order to let the grease out. For black bears this could take a week, for grizzly bears, up to 1 month.
5-To whiten you can submerse in hydrogen peroxide for as long as it takes to whiten. Then soak in water.


NOTE>>>>this was copied and pasted from hunting tips and tricks . com

[300H&H]

My question is....how long does it take for beetles to clean a skull ?

[Wild Images]

My question is....how long does it take for beetles to clean a skull ?

A colony that is up and rockin will do a bear in a few days
just starting one up can take quite a while until you get the numbers up

[870]

Can anyone with a colony post some pictures of your setups?

and does anyone have a colony going that wants to get sell me some bugs? Located in vanvouver. Cash or booze.

Thanks

[xfactor]

interested in setting up a colony as well. thinking lightbulb on a thermostat to keep temp optimal, is a fan needed for fresh air or just close the lid?

anyone have beetles for sale locally to lower mainland?