[Nhcoll-l] Outdoor Dermestid Beetle Colony

[Thomas Labedz]

While I have little experience with outdoor dermestid colonies I do have over 30 years experience with an indoor colony. I echo Barry's statement of being insect proof. Other problem critters that could lower productivity or need lots of time to manage include spiders, mites, ham beetles, mice, etc. Dermestids can also be susceptible to mold and fungal infections if the colony is too wet, though not likely a problem in Arizona. Consider protocols for everything and everyone going from the outdoor colony to indoor collections areas so you don't have unwanted hitchhikers.
Thomas Labedz, Collections Manager
Division of Zoology
University of Nebraska State Museum


________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Barry OConnor <bmoc at umich.edu>
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2020 10:32 AM
To: Dakota Rowsey <drowsey at asu.edu>
Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Outdoor Dermestid Beetle Colony

Be sure whatever you construct is really bug proof. Some years ago during a building renovation, we moved our colony to the roof of the museum. Despite precautions, “wild” dermestids were able to invade and brought in a mite that almost wiped the colony out.
- Barry

Sent from my iPhone

Barry M. OConnor
Emeritus Curator & Professor
University of Michigan
Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Museum of Zoology
Research Museums Center
3600 Varsity Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-2888
Phone: 734-763-4354
E-mail: bmoc at umich.edu

> On Jun 18, 2020, at 11:17 AM, Dakota Rowsey <drowsey at asu.edu> wrote:
>
> 
> Hello:
>
> Arizona State University Biocollections is looking into buying/building an outdoor dermestid beetle enclosure. Does anyone have any experience in keeping an active outdoor colony? I am interested in finding ways to keeping the area at an optimal temperature and humidity (the structure itself would be under a shade canopy, but I still worry about diel temperature fluctuations), as well as keeping the area dark and keeping out other unwanted pests.
>
> Thanks for any help!
> Dakota Rowsey
>
> --
> Dakota M. Rowsey, Ph.D. (he/his)
> Currently: Brown Postdoctoral Fellow, Field Museum of Natural History
> Soon: Vertebrate Collections Manager, Arizona State University Biocollections
>
>
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