Museums have a dirty problem. They need to clean flesh off bones for displays and forensic studies, but most methods have serious downsides. Chemical treatments can damage the bones. Burial takes forever. Digestive enzymes are expensive.
The current gold standard is dermestid beetles. These little guys eat soft tissue without harming bone, and they’re efficient. But they come with a risk: if they escape, they’ll infest your entire collection. Beetle colonies span all life stages and require complex containment.
Enter the superworm. Researchers at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in Iran think Zophobas morio larvae — yes, the stuff you feed pet lizards — could do the same job with less hassle.
Superworm larvae only need to be contained during their larval stage, which lasts 10–12 weeks. Beetle colonies need constant management across eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. And superworm larvae don’t pupate in crowded conditions, making escape less likely.
The team tested them on eight specimens: an Egyptian rosette, house mouse, little bittern, alligator gar, Eurasian eagle-owl, rook, wild cat, and gray wolf. They found an optimal ratio of 10 to 15 grams of larvae per gram of specimen. The superworms stripped everything clean without damaging bones.
They compared results against boiling (for a marbled polecat) and the superworms won handily. No bone damage, no harsh chemicals, no infestations.
The study was published in PLoS One. The authors say superworms offer an “adaptable and effective alternative” for skeletal prep in museums and research settings. Just don’t let them near your lunch.
