More Skulls!

"What do you keep in those plastic containers?" It's a question I get asked every time someone goes into my garage. Or sometimes it's "What's that smell?" Either way, the answer is "Flesh-eating beetles." Now this gets a good number of odd looks and sideways glances, but no one can resist the temptation to look a little closer. This usually leads to a full explanation of why I have them, what they are, and what they can do. A quick walk inside the house to the 'animal room' and it becomes clear to everyone just how incredible these little dermestid beetles are, and what an interesting process these animal heads go through to become a bright white skull.

Back in 2009 I wrote a blog entry about my skull work, but since it's been awhile I thought we'd revisit the topic. Most of the skulls that I clean throughout the year are for other hunters, some of them from the other side of the country. I have cleaned Oregon bears, Maryland beavers, Colorado foxes, Georgia coyotes, and Minnesota bobcats. And of course I have cleaned up quite a few animals from right here in beautiful Arizona!

Below you'll find a few pictures of some of the more recent skulls that I have cleaned up, and if you go all the way to bottom and click on the picture of the dermestid beetles, you can visit a picture album with even more bright white skulls! I've even started painting a few, just to see what how they come out and what people have to say about them.


Montana beaver


Arizona javelina


Arizona gray foxes - one of them with a little 'camo' paint


Another Arizona gray fox with experiments in paint


One of the most beautiful Arizona mule deer I've done yet


Dermestid beetles - adult and larvae
Click on them for more skull pictures!