Dermestidae (redirected from Bow bugs)

Dermestidae [dər′mes·tə·dē]

(invertebrate zoology)

The skin beetles, a family of coleopteran insects in the superfamily Dermestoidea, including serious pests of stored agricultural grain products.

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Dermestidae 

a family of beetles. The body, which measures 2–12 mm long, is flat-cylindrical or oval and has short claviform antennae. The larvae are mobile, elongated, greatly chitinous, with long protruding hairs. There are approximately 800 species, distributed throughout the world. In the USSR there are 90 species, most of which are found in the southern regions. Dermestids feed on dry animal and plant substances; some eat pollen and are found on flowers. Many species do great damage to fur, leather, carpets, smoked and dried meat or fish, zoological collections, dried fruits, dried medicinal plants, and herbariums. The most destructive species are the larder beetle (Dermestes lardarius), Attagenus pellio, and the museum beetle (Anthrenus museorum). The khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) harms stored grain. Control measures are primarily prophylactic; they include quarantine (in the case of the khapra beetle) and fumigating storage areas with gas.