noun
- beetles of the family Dermestidae that feed on organic materials and are often considered household pests
Usage: entomology
Examples
- Dermestids can damage wool carpets and clothing in homes.
- The museum hired pest control specialists to eliminate dermestids from their textile collection.
- Researchers study dermestids because they help decompose organic matter in nature.
- Dermestids are commonly found in bird nests where they feed on feathers and debris.
- The larvae of dermestids are particularly destructive to natural fibers.
- Forensic entomologists sometimes use dermestids to estimate time of death.