# Cancer beetles...ulomoides dermestoides



## antoniolugo (Apr 8, 2011)

Has anyone use this beetle as a feeder? ulomoides dermestoides is a beetle that is used by chinesse to cure cancer, I dont realy know if that is true or not, but they are really small and the larvae is pretty small too, maybe about 4 to 5 mm.
They are very easy to culture, with just multigran bread and some banana peels for water.


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## crittercurt (Jul 8, 2009)

I have never heard of anybody using them. It would be interesting to know the protein, calcium, and fat content in them though. If you find any I would be interested in giving them a try.

Curtis


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

One of the advantages to Flightless FF's, springtails, Iso's, and bean beetles if that if (when) they escape from the vivarium it's unlikely that they can propagate outside the tanks. The way you describe dermestoides makes me nervous about potential infestation. Unless they offered something novel nutritionally I don't think I would use any feeders that could get a foothold in my house.


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Boondoggle said:


> One of the advantages to Flightless FF's, springtails, Iso's, and bean beetles if that if (when) they escape from the vivarium it's unlikely that they can propagate outside the tanks. The way you describe dermestoides makes me nervous about potential infestation. Unless they offered something novel nutritionally I don't think I would use any feeders that could get a foothold in my house.


Yeah, depending on species they can apparently be a real PITA, and a few are even parthenogenetic (but I'm not sure if those are the varieties we would come across).

Either way, I'd be cautious about the larvae.... "for the barbed (hastate, pendicled) setae of dermestid beetle larvae a defensive function has been reported" (from ScienceDirect - International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology : The cuticular protuberances of insects)


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## antoniolugo (Apr 8, 2011)

Thanks, I didnt know they were not good. People sometimes feeds them to their fish, so I thought it could be a good feeder insect. Also I didnt know they could take over your house!... They are supposed to feed only on grains and fresh peanuts.


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

antoniolugo said:


> Thanks, I didnt know they were not good. People sometimes feeds them to their fish, so I thought it could be a good feeder insect. Also I didnt know they could take over your house!... They are supposed to feed only on grains and fresh peanuts.


depends on the species... some will even feed on wool carpeting/clothing. im sure theres a few suitable species somewhere in that family, it's just a matter of finding the right ones as others can be pretty invasive (i.e. the khapra beetle is considered one of the worst stored-product pests in the world)


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## antoniolugo (Apr 8, 2011)

tclipse said:


> depends on the species... some will even feed on wool carpeting/clothing. im sure theres a few suitable species somewhere in that family, it's just a matter of finding the right ones as others can be pretty invasive (i.e. the khapra beetle is considered one of the worst stored-product pests in the world)


The beetle Im talking about is used in chinese medicine and it can be problematic if it gets lose and finds its way to a grain supplier. Its Palembus Dermestoides. 
Here is a video were you can see it. 




I have a culture that I took some pictures of, so you can take a better look at them.


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Ah, duh, I am relly intelijent.... misread the title.. different kind of beetle.

the beetles youre referring to have a volatile defense secretion though im unsure if it would affect frogs. Volatile secretions and epicuticular hydrocarbons of the beetle Ulomoides dermestoides. | Mendeley


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

People have used the larva as a feeder from time to time but the secretions of the adults may be an issue (see Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of defence ... [J Ethnopharmacol. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI) since if I remember correctly the adults were unpalatable to the frogs. It should also be noted that people can have significant negative responses to the adults secretions over time.... 

Ed


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## antoniolugo (Apr 8, 2011)

Thanks for the info guys!


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