The Red-Legged Ham Beetle, No friend of hams, and even worse friend of pet food
By James Feston, BCE, Director of Product Research and Development at Insects Limited, Inc.
When a deer falls dead in the forest does it make a sound? Yes, and it is that of insects, who are quick to the scene.
Decomposition in vertebrates is a complex process involving several (pretty gross) stages. A dead deer starts off as fresh for a while, depending on temperature, but as bacteria in the gut start to turn on their former host, the body starts to bloat and break down from the inside. It’s not long after this that the insects really get to work breaking down tissue, and consuming fluids, all while being pretty gross about the whole thing.
Deer and other animal carcasses, are the RLHB's natural food sources. Note: No deer were harmed (recently) for this photo.
It’s wet and smelly work but someone has to do it. Over time, as the process advances, the wetness begins to dry, the maggots turn into flies who leave for more rotten pastures, and the “good bits,” so to speak, are all gone. What’s left is a mostly dry, partially skeletonized, carcass with some jerky-like bits left over. This is the point where the Red-legged ham beetle (Necrobia rufipes) makes its entrance.
Red-legged ham beetle (RLHB for short) is about a quarter of an inch long, and has iridescent green wings, and dark orange legs. Apparently, orange-legged ham beetle didn’t have the same ring… The adults of these insects are quick on their feet as well as very capable fliers. Effective flight is a necessity when scouting out ephemeral food sources like dead animals. What’s more, these insects are also good competitors of other insect larvae. Adult RLHB will happily eat the larvae of other species that compete for the same resources such as Dermestid beetles or left-over fly larvae still trying to feed on any wet bits that remain. While the name “red-legged ham beetle” suggests that they are primarily a pest of hams, they are in fact, currently emerging as far more problematic in the pet food industry. Their natural habitat and food source equips them with the right tools to be a real headache in pet food manufacturing, distribution, and retail settings. Most pet food items are meat-based. Some are even exact analogs for their natural food source. Think about the aisle at the pet food store containing open boxes of meaty bones for dogs and meat-based dried food. These “treats” and food products replicate the exact stage of decay that these beetles thrive on. What more could they want? In fact, pet food retail stores do one better for these beetles. In the wild, these beetles will pupate in fur, cracks, and crevices in or around an animal carcass. Pet food retail stores have an abundance of cracks and crevices as well as fuzzy, “fur-simulating” objects like tennis balls and other dog and cat toys.
Fuzzy tennis balls are one of the RLHB favorite spots to pupate in a pet store. Fun Fact: Like Butterflies, RLHB are one of the only beetles to pupate inside a silk cocoon they make themselves!
Their excellent flight capabilities help them find and colonize pet food items.
Their competitively predatory nature helps them kill their competition, and their ability to hide and pupate in unexpected places can help them avoid treatment.
It is no wonder at this point why they are becoming a real hassle. The pet food industry continues to grow.
From 2010-2020 pet food sales rose 43.3 billion dollars from 59.3 billion in 2010 to 102.6 in 2020. Some expectations are that global pet food sales could reach over 160 billion dollars by 2029.
Pet food sales worldwide from 2010 to 2020 (in billion U.S. dollars)
This increase in sales and pet food manufacturing demand will mean more food for RLHB and more opportunities to spread through ever-widening supply chains. We should expect in the coming years that even more attention to be given to this damaging pest in the form of additional research, monitoring, and treatment options.
That being said, it’s about time for me to get back to the lab and do just that!
Insects Limited, an Insect Pheromone Company
Insects Limited, Inc. researches, tests, develops, manufactures and distributes pheromones and trapping systems for insects in a global marketplace. The highly qualified staff also can assist with consultation, areas of expert witness, training presentations and grant writing.
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