Hide Beetle (Dermestes maculatus): A Silent Pest That Destroys Dried Meat and Animal-Based Products

Have you ever opened a box of dried seafood only to find tiny holes in your dried squid—or caught the scent of spoiled bacon even though it was properly sealed? The likely culprit is the Hide Beetle (Dermestes maculatus), a small but devastating insect that quietly infests dried meats, animal products, and warehouses across the globe.

This tiny invader is especially dangerous in storage facilities handling dried seafood, jerky, leather, or bone meal—and once it’s established, the damage can be costly and difficult to reverse.

Identification: What Is the Hide Beetle?

• Common name: Hide Beetle
• Scientific name: Dermestes maculatus
• Family: Dermestidae
• Order: Coleoptera

Physical traits:

• Adult length: 6–10 mm
• Color: Dark brown to black, covered in fine hairs
• Elytra (forewings) are hardened and sharp-pointed at the tips
• Capitate antennae (clubbed), strong legs

Life Cycle: Aggressive and Cannibalistic

The Hide Beetle undergoes complete metamorphosis with four distinct stages:

• Egg (4–5 days): White eggs laid near food sources
• Larva (20–40 days): Hairy, black larvae are highly destructive and cannibalistic—feeding on eggs and pupae when food is scarce
• Pupa (5–7 days): Transformation stage in sheltered locations
• Adult: Lives up to 6 months, continuing to reproduce

Preferred Food Sources

Hide Beetles are especially attracted to animal-based organic materials, including:

• Dried fish, shrimp, clams, and salted seafood
• Bacon, ham, meat scraps
• Leather, hide, horn, bone meal, and animal fur
• Insect carcasses and even preserved museum specimens

How Do They Cause Damage?

• Adults and larvae chew holes into stored goods
• They tunnel deep into food products, leaving behind foul odors and visible contamination
• Larvae are especially destructive with strong jaws capable of damaging dried meats, leather, and even taxidermy specimens
• Their presence in a warehouse can quickly escalate to full-scale contamination

Distribution and Risk Areas

The Hide Beetle is found worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions like Southeast Asia—including Thailand, where high humidity supports rapid infestation.

How to Prevent and Control Hide Beetle Infestations

✅ Maintain Strict Cleanliness

• Clean floors, walls, storage bins, and equipment regularly
• Eliminate all traces of food residue and dust

✅ Isolate Infested Goods

• Remove any products showing signs of beetle activity
• Never mix contaminated stock with new inventory

✅ Use Airtight Storage

• Store animal-based goods in sealed containers to block beetle access

✅ Apply Ozone Fumigation

• Ozone treatment at 60 ppm for 32 hours can eliminate 100% of adult beetles
• May slightly alter the color or scent of the product but is highly effective for pest control

Conclusion

Despite their small size, Hide Beetles are among the most destructive pests in the dried meat and seafood industry. They feed, contaminate, and multiply in silence—often going undetected until the damage is widespread. For warehouse operators, food processors, and exporters, routine monitoring and pest control are critical to protecting product quality and avoiding financial loss.