Why Artists Use the Best Dermestid Beetles for Deer Skull Art

 

Deer skull art has exploded in popularity and encompasses a wide variety of decorative styles, techniques, and intended purposes. While European mounts are traditional and highly sought after, artists and interior designers are taking deer skulls and are using innovative techniques to make them decorative elements that can fit into aesthetic space. Whether you intend to carve viking designs into the deer skull, decoupage areas of it with antique newspapers and paint the remaining part of the skull with an acrylic, or metalize the skull by dipping it into a cold metal / polymer binder mixture to give it a modern look, the first step is to clean the skull, removing every last bit of flesh and hair. Otherwise, the deer skull art will look sloppy and can attract insects due to the rotted organic material that remains. This article is intended to help artists understand why they should buy the best dermestid beetles for deer skull art from a reputable seller to ensure their artwork is flawless and reveals every intricate detail of the skull’s beauty. 

Hunters in Camo over Mountains

 

Why It is Important to Make Sure Your Deer Skull Art is Completely Cleaned

Experienced hunters and deer skull art producers know why it is critical to completely clean the skull, but people new to this space don’t always understand why it is critical to completely clean the skull. First, skull cleaning can be done through a number of methods, but it always involves removing all soft tissue, hair, and scooping out the brain. If you fail to do this the skull will rot and become waste. It will also create toxic fumes and attract pests. While there are several ways to clean a skull, the two most common methods are boiling and using dermestid beetles for deer skull art cleaning. Here are some reasons why using dermestid beetles to clean a deer skull is better than boiling. 

 

Deer Skull Art Cleaned by Dermestid Beetles has Less of an Odor Compared to Boiling

When boiling a deer skull in preparation for using it as an art piece, the smell is intense and can linger for days. If you boil the skull in your kitchen, or even in your basement, the smell will stink up your entire house and remain for days. Even if you boil the skull outdoors, the odor will remain on your property. However, dermestid beetles only let off a minor odor and usually it is only detected if you get close to the colony. The smell certainly won’t travel to other rooms, nor will it get into your clothing or hair. This is one of many reasons why deer skull art veterans prefer using beetles to boil.

Hunter in Camo over Water

 

Dermestid Beetles Require Little Effort or Work

Boiling deer skulls is time and labor intensive. First, you have to constantly monitor the water temperature and maintain it. If the water gets too hot or the skull is left in the water too long, parts of the skull can become destroyed as the bones will fall apart. Boiling time varies, but it usually takes three hours to boil a deer skull, so imagine having to sit by a steaming hot pot for three hours while constantly stirring and checking the temperature. When using dermestid beetles to clean skulls, you simply leave it to the beetles. It will likely take a colony one to two days to clean the skull, but this allows you to leave it and forget it, making your job much easier. The only real work you must put into the effort is to protect the health of the colony, and when you buy dermestid beetles from a reputable seller like Kodiak Bones & Bugs, you will get the required kit and the instructions to make maintaining a colony a breeze. 

 

Dermestid Beetles for Deer Skull Art maintains the Bone’s Natural Color

When boiling a deer skull, a process happens in which the bone is given a foul yellow color. This means artists must work with a canvas that looks putrid. On the other hand, dermestid beetles maintain the natural bone white color of the skull and therefore give the art a true natural look.

 

Buy Dermestid Beetles for Deer Skull Art from Kodiak Bones & Bugs

Clearly, artists get greater value from using dermestid beetles, and the benefits are numerous. You just need to make sure to buy dermestid beetles from a reputable seller that ensures a healthy colony free from parasites. Kodiak Bones & Bugs is a highly reputable beetle supplier that sells beetles to hunters and artists located all over the US. Call today and learn what makes us stand apart and discover more on how we can help you raise the best beetle colony to ensure you have the best way to clean your deer skulls for thousands of art projects to come.