Professional Skull Cleaning & European Mount Experts

Using beetles to clean bones and skulls has long been a trusted method among taxidermists and museums. Dermestid beetles, naturally found feeding on decaying animals in the wild, are particularly effective at cleaning skulls with precision. They can remove all flesh, even from the smallest nasal passages and canals, without damaging the bone structure.

With over 1,800 species worldwide, Dermestid beetles have become a preferred choice for bone and skeleton cleaning in museums, ensuring complete tissue removal while preserving the integrity of the bones. Under optimal conditions, beetle colonies can thrive and expand indefinitely, making them a sustainable cleaning method.

For European skull mounts, beetles do most of the work. Given time, they consume all tissue, including hide and brain matter. However, proper preparation speeds up the process. A healthy beetle colony can clean a well-prepared large bear or deer skull in under a day, while bigger game like moose may take a few days.

Beetle cleaning is ideal for trophy skulls intended for scoring, as it avoids water exposure, which can cause bone shrinkage. Once cleaned, the skull must dry for the required 60 days before scoring. After scoring, or once the beetles have finished, the skull undergoes degreasing, whitening, and final finishing to achieve the desired presentation.