Dermestid beetles are widely known to eat flesh from skulls and bones. They remove flesh from the bones and leave behind a skull with all delicate structures intact. Because of this, dermestid beetles are used to do European mounts. Other skull-cleaning methods and processes might damage the delicate structures, especially around the nasal cavity.
Do you know how to do a European mount? You can either boil or use dermestid beetles. Boiling is a faster method of removing flesh from the skull. However, if you want a pristine European mount, use dermestid beetles to maintain the integrity of the bone structure. Start by getting 300 dermestid beetles if you have one skull to clean. After a few weeks, your colony will grow if larvae are present. The more skulls you need to clean, the higher the number of beetles you require.
Reasons to use beetles for European mounts.
Boiling and scrapping are some methods used to remove flesh from bones. Using beetles for European mount is encouraged because it has numerous advantages which include:
- Eco-friendly.
It is environmentally friendly to use dermestid beetles to remove flesh from skulls. They feed on the flesh increasing your colony while leaving you with a clean skull.
- No skull discolorations.
Boiling is a good way to remove flesh from the skull. However, the skull will have a yellowish tint that is hard to whiten. This is because, when fat from the flesh melts it soaks into the bone. Boiling can also make the teeth crack or get loose.
- There’s no skull damage.
If you scratch the fleshy part from the bone, it will leave gouges on the skull. You will easily damage delicate structures if you do this.
- No harsh chemicals.
Harsh chemicals are mostly used in various skull cleaning methods. It is good to avoid them because they can damage your skin or be hazardous to your health if inhaled.
How to do a European mount.
1. Remove skin from the deer’s head.
Use your knife to remove the lower jaw and skin from the deer’s head.
2. Boil the skull.
Put the skull in a pot that contains water mixed with a liquid dish. Boil the contents slowly for 4 hours to simmer the skull.
3. Remove tissue.
After you remove the skull from the water, do the following:
- Remove the eyes, tendons, and tissues from the skull using a knife and forceps.
- Remove the earbuds using a screwdriver to access the brain cavity.
- Use forceps to remove the sinus tissue.
- Remove the brain tissue by spraying water into the cavity using a hose.
4. Add peroxide.
Add 2 quarts of hydrogen peroxide to the boiling water.
5. Wrap antlers.
Protect the antlers from bleaching by wrapping shrink wrap along the bases. Use a masking tape to secure the plastic wrap,
6. Boil the skull again.
Put the skull in the pot and boil it for another 30 minutes.
7. Remove the wrap and touch up the base.
Remove the skull from the boiling water. For a bleached antler, apply a dark wood stain on the bases.
A European mount is a good choice for a hunter who wants to showcase their trophy collection. Most people use scraping and boiling to do a European mount. Using dermestid beetles is a better way to remove flesh from the skull. It is eco-friendly, no skull discolorations are seen, the skull is not damaged, and no harsh chemicals are used.
