Skin beetle and moth

Skin beetle belongs to the Dermestidae family consisting of 600 species of different beetles. They got their name because of their diet: they feed on animal remains, feathers, wool, skin, fur, and other organic materials. In other words, they are necrobionts which are the main pests of stocks and items containing substances of animal origin. Skin beetles tend to locate in the vicinity of animal food or places that store natural materials such as museum pieces, fur products, carpets, etc.

In everyday life, skin beetles can act as pests since they can cause damage to household goods containing natural materials.

However, they serve a crucial role in nature as sanitarians - utilizers that help decompose organic materials such as animal remains. They contribute to the natural cycles of decomposition by recycling organic matter and returning it to the soil.

They like dry environments and prefer dried animal carcasses and bird nests. What is worth noting is that the larvae are the most dangerous. The adult insect is aphagous, i.e., does not feed. They are up to 12 mm in size.

A group of insects with more than 15 thousand species of the Lepidoptera family. They are mostly nocturnal or diurnal. Many of them are keratophages, that is, they feed on substances of animal origin: skin, hair, wool, horny substances. They have a characteristic life cycle that consists of eggs, caterpillars, pupae, and adults. They often prefer dark and little-visited places where they can feed freely and reproduce quickly. The main damage is caused by the caterpillar.

Moths start to reproduce and destroy the materials used in the insulation between the walls of houses or buildings. This also applies to the caulking, which often consists of organic materials such as wood fiber, cellulose, flax, jute, wool, etc., which can provide a breeding ground for insects.

The worst case scenario is when the insulation is hidden, for example, by plasterboard, which makes it very difficult to fight the problem. Moths can penetrate the building structure through small cracks, crevices, or holes, and then multiply and feed on the insulation. This can lead to the destruction of materials and the weakening of thermal insulation, which will eventually affect the effectiveness of the building's insulation and thermal insulation. Besides, the abundance of insects in the room will not please the owners.