Ham beetles
Ham beetles are an easy to care for beetle species. They feed on a variety of decaying organic matter. The red-legged ham beetle (Necrobia rufipes) and the red-shouldered ham beetle (Necrobia ruficollis) are the two species that I offer.
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Fun fact: Dermestid beetles are called "spekkevers" in Dutch. This directly translates to bacon beetles. Not to be confused with these ham beetles.
The adult ham beetles are about 3.5 to 7 mm in size and of both species got a metallic shine to them. Their larvae appear more like caterpillars than typical beetle grubs and build silken cocoons to pupate in. Ham beetles thrive on many meat based products and can also feed on some products of plant origin. The adults create an acrid smell when grabbed.
You will receive 10 individuals for €5.
Both species originate from the Netherlands, Europe.
Life cycle
Adults mate soon after emergence and females lay eggs for up to three months during ideal conditions. Females can lay anywhere from 100 to over 3,000 eggs depending on temperature, humidity, and food quality. Females deposit eggs in small, dry crevices to limit predation due to cannibalism. Eggs will hatch in 4-8 days, young larvae preferentially feed on surrounding eggs before moving on to other food sources.
Larval development includes 3 or 4 stages over a 35–130 day period. When larvae are finished feeding they wander, searching for ideal spots to pupate. The larva finds a relatively dry, secluded spot and creates a cocoon. Adults emerge from the pupa after 6-9 days. Total development time from egg to adult can last between 36 and 150 days. Variations in progression of development is dependent on temperature, humidity, and the quality of available food.
Source: MuseumPests.net