Carnivorous Beetles: The Unsung Heroes of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History – WTOP News

What if we told you that a small army of carnivorous insects plays a crucial role in helping the Smithsonian prepare and preserve its fossils?

On today’s episode of ‘Matt About Town’ we go behind the scenes of the Osteology Prep Lab at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Suitland, Maryland.

You’ll find the OPL on the campus of the Smithsonian Museum Support Center – where the Natural History Museum keeps its reserve collections. OPL is housed in a separate building, isolated from the other collections, mainly because of the carpet beetles found inside.

These beetles are what scientists there call “the unsung heroes” of fossil preparation.

When dead specimens that the Smithsonian wants to preserve enter the facility, people can only remove a limited portion of the oil/grease, fats, skin, tissue, and other gunk from these carcasses.

That’s where the beetles come in.

Join us on a wild adventure and get an up-close look at the real-time decomposition process, which can take days to months (depending on the magnitude of what they’re dealing with).

At the end of the process, these beetles have played an important role in the pristine, well-preserved bones that NMNH stores in collections or proudly displays in its museum.

For more information about the Osteo Lab at MSC, visit their website.

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