Dermestid beetle

Attractive Compounds. Pheromones of dermestid beetles were among the first ones identified from insects. Almost all have been described as one-component-systems , and re-investigations employing refined techniques, especially GC-EAD and sensitive GC-MS, may reveal the presence of additional and important compounds, which may lead to improved activity of synthetic lures, and under natural conditions may account for species specificity etc. 

The basally arranged noncalcareous Polyxenida (Penicillata bristle millipedes) lack defensive glands and instead project hooked bristles against attackers such as ants.12 Similar to modified larval hairs of dermestid beetles, predators are thus effectively entangled. 

After reading Silent Spring , I became interested in insect pheromones, because its application may provide us with a new and environmentally benign method of pest control. 1 was also interested in the evolving field of asymmetric synthesis. Accordingly, 1 started my enantioselective pheromone synthesis in 1973. The first work was the determination of the absolute configuration of the dermestid beetle pheromone [18]. By synthesizing the (S)-(+)-enantiomer of the pheromone from... 

Mutchler, A.J., Weiss, H.B. (1927). The dermestid beetles of New Jersey including the carpet beetles and those which feed on animal products. NJ Dept. Agric. Circ. 108. 

Mori, K. Absolute configurations of ( —)-14-methylhexadec-8-cw-en-l-ol and methyl ( —)-14-methylhexadec-8-d.v-enoate, the sex pheromone of female Dermestid beetle. Tetrahedron 30, 3817—3820 1974). 

Yarger, R. G., R. M. Silverstein, and W. E. Burkholder Sex pheromone of the female dermestid beetle Trogoderma glabrum (Herbst). J. Chem. Ecol. 1, 323—334... 

The plant inspection program of the American baking industry has shown that 80% of sanitation problems can be avoided by good housekeeping. Proper use of residual spray material, such as DDT and chlordan, will control casual invaders—roaches, ant, flies, silver-fish, dermestids, fungus beetles, and meal worms— without contamination of food products. 

Dermestids. The two most common invaders are the carpet beetle and the drugstore beetle or cigaret beetle. The latter, although not exactly identical species, are comparable in their habitat and habits. They are all likely to fly into the plant. 

Figure 7. Pheromones from R or S lactone acid for beetles dermestids (y-capro-lactone), Pityogenes chalcographus (L.), Japanese beetle (I, Fig. 1), ambrosia beetle, and lesser grain borer beetle gypsy moths and block-tailed deer.

The khapra beetle, T. granarlum, inhabits an environment more similar to that of the confused flour beetle than to the usual environment of other members of the family Dermestidae to which the khapra beetle belongs. However, with respect to utilization of dietary sterols, the khapra beetle Is more similar to other dermestids such as the hide beetle, Dermestes maculatus, (31) which usually feeds on animals or animal products rather than plant derived material. Apparently, the khapra beetle has not had to alter Its sterol metabolism to adapt to living In Its stored product environment. It will be of Interest to examine the ecdysterolds of the khapra beetle to see If the synthesis of molting hormones In this species has been modified to utilize other than a C27 sterol as an ecdysterold precursor. 

The odd beetle, Thylodrias contractus (Mots), is an unusual beetle in that it is morphologically very disimilar from its nearest relatives, the phylogenetically related dermestid carpet beetles The adult female odd beetles are wingless and larviform while the adult males are winged and have a body shape unlike all other dermestids. In flight, males resemble small flies. 

The role of the odd beetle in the biodeterioration of museum objects may be less than that of other dermestids. The odd beetle... 

Twinn, C.R. (1932). The occurrence of the odd beetle and a brief note on other dermestid species in Canada. Can. Entomol.. 6A, 163-165. 

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