The larvae of a beetle native to South and Central America, the critters are the perfect solution to sticky problem: How to prepare an animal skeleton for scientific use.
Superworms, the larvae of Zophobas morio, are often used as animal feed. But researchers have discovered they also like to feed on animal corpses and can be used to clean specimens.
MirekKijewski/iStockphoto/Getty Images
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MirekKijewski/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Scientists tested pet-store 'superworms' on animal specimens and found the beetle larvae can clean skeletons for museums without…
An optimal ratio of 10-15 grams of larvae per gram of specimen minimized cleaning time with no bone damage.
An all-natural solution at its finest.
Um Skelette in Museen auszustellen, müssen sie frei von Knorpel oder Fleisch sein – doch herkömmliche Präparationsmethoden dauern…
New trials aim to stop flesh-eating screwworm before it spreads across the Americas.
If you're wondering whether they'll eat your flesh, keep reading.
