Necrobia

Necrobia species are distinguished from other Cleridae by their small size (4–7 mm), metallic blue or green coloration, and association with dried animal matter rather than live prey. N. rufipes has characteristic red legs and antennae, while N. violacea is uniformly metallic blue. The genus differs from predatory clerids by its scavenging habits and from Dermestidae by its more elongate body form and smoother elytra.

Stored products and dried organic substrates, particularly protein-rich materials including dried or smoked fish, cured meats, dried black soldier fly larvae products, and museum specimens. Also found on carrion in advanced stages of desiccation.

Cosmopolitan; reported from North America, Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), Africa (Kenya), and other regions worldwide.

Dried animal products including dried or smoked fish, cured meats, dried black soldier fly larvae, and other protein-rich substrates. Adults and larvae feed on carrion in late stages of decomposition.

• Hermetia illucens - consumerdried black soldier fly larvae
• dried fish - consumersmoked or dried fish products
• meat products - consumercured and dried meats

Co-occurs with other storage pests such as Tribolium castaneum on dried black soldier fly larvae products. Adults are active on the surface of infested materials and are attracted to protein-rich substrates.

Decomposer of dried animal matter; significant pest in food storage and museum contexts causing qualitative and quantitative economic losses. Potential vector for pathogenic microbes including Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

Major pest of stored animal products including dried fish, cured meats, and insect-based protein products. Problematic in museums and taxidermy businesses due to damage to dried specimens. Emerging pest in the black soldier fly larvae value chain.

• DermestidaeAlso feed on dried animal products, but have more rounded bodies, clubbed antennae, and often patterned or hairy elytra; Necrobia has more elongate form and smooth metallic elytra.
• TrogidaeAlso occur on dried carrion, but are larger, rough-textured, and cryptically colored rather than metallic; Trogidae play dead when disturbed.

• Cleridae
• stored product pest
• carrion beetle
• metallic blue
• ham beetle
• museum pest
• forensic entomology

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Bug Eric: More Beetles from Bones
• Oedemeridae | Beetles In The Bush
• Season Finale | Beetles In The Bush
• Multi-omics comparison of two emerging storage pests (Necrobia rufipes and Tribolium castaneum) of dried black soldier fly larvae product.