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Local gunsmithing shop uses beetles to make European mounts

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NCS Gunsmithing and Sales’ dermestid beetles have the ability to help produce European mounts by eating away at the muscle tissue and ligaments. The beetles’ favorite meat is not rotten, slightly freezer burnt and moistened to provide water. (Photo by Caitlin Bittner)

By Caitlin Bittner

For a year now, Chad Smethurst of NCS Gunsmithing and Sales has had a trick up his sleeve when it came to making European mounts—dermestid beetles.

“They don’t eat rotten meat. Mostly they eat the muscle tissue and ligaments,” explained Smethurst.

To begin, Smethurst said that he bought 100,000 beetles, but now his population has grown. “I’m guessing that the colony has about three to four million bugs in it now.”

Smethurst said that his beetles are able to eat any meat, noting that his beetles have been used to clean whitetail deer, elk and some small rodents.

Although the beetles are not known to be picky eaters, Smethurst did say that it is necessary for him to do some of the work in order to prepare the meat for them. “I have to take all the skin off, but then it takes about two days [for them] to clean off a deer head. Their perfect meat is also freezer burnt and then I moisten it for them.”

While the beetles will eat anything, they don’t attack humans. Smethurst stated that he decided to start this operation because he didn’t know of anyone else in the area doing something like this. “I wanted to see what it was like,” he commented.

After a year of trying it out, Smethurst mentioned that the process is something that he’s very likely to continue. “You’ve got to get used to the odor,” remarked Smethurst, noting that it can be particularly bad inside the shop if the exhaust fans are not turned on.

As for his beetle colony, he said it is very clean and self-sufficient. “You can find these bugs everywhere. They don’t mind being crammed into a space and you don’t really see many dead ones; the other ones just feed on them.”

As for the future, Smethurst said that he believes he has enough beetles for his business. “I’ll continue to do this as long as there’s a demand.”

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