| Flesh-eating beetles, called dermestids, are nature’s
forensic scientists. |
一种叫做“皮蠹”的食肉甲虫是大自然中的法医专家。 |
| The word “dermestid” derives from the Greek word meaning
“skin,” and the insect is aptly named. These creepy crawlies will
eat the flesh off carcasses in a process
called skeletonization. |
皮蠹的英文单词是dermestid，该词来自希腊语，意思是“皮”，因而这种昆虫的命名很贴切。这种令人毛骨悚然的爬虫会把肉从尸体上啃下来，这被称为“白骨化”过程。 |
| Wildlife law enforcement agents use the beetles to expose
skeletons when harsh chemicals might damage evidence, such as marks
on bones. Museum curators and taxidermists also use
the bugs to
clean skeletons for research and
displays. Hundreds of dermestid beetles are
often used to pick a cadaver clean. |
野生动植物保护法的执法人员有时担心，强腐蚀性化学成分会将证据（如骨骼上的痕迹）破坏掉，他们就利用皮蠹使骨架展现出来。为了研究工作和陈列展出，博物馆的管理人员及动物标本剥制师也利用这些昆虫来清理骨架。要想把一具死尸清理干净，通常需要数百只皮蠹。 |
| It’s a low-tech solution to an ordinarily high-tech
problem, said Ken Hansen, a retired federal game warden with
the U.S.
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, who has
been selling dermestid beetles for six years. |
从美国国家海洋和大气管理局狩猎监督官岗位上退休的肯·汉森称：这就是利用低科技手段来解决一般性的高科技问题。六年来，汉森一直在出售皮蠹。 |
| “I can recall one instance where they actually had a
skull, and they were trying to clean the skull for a potential
murder investigation, and the beetles were
used to clean the skull,” he added. “There certainly is a use for
these forensically.” |
“我记得，有一次调查人员竟然搞到一块颅骨，他们正在想办法把颅骨清理干净，以便对一起潜在的谋杀案进行调查，后来他们就是利用这种甲虫来清理那块颅骨的，”汉森又说道，“毫无疑问，这些甲虫在法医学上有其用武之地。” |
| For those who can stomach the stench, it’s an incredibly
engaging process—emphasis on the “gag.” |
对于那些能够吃得下腐肉的昆虫来讲，清理工作是一个异常忙碌的过程，它们专注于往嘴里吃个不停。 |
|
Beetles be Eatin’ |
皮蠹是吃货 |
| In the wild, the 12-millimeter-long scavengers decompose
animals long since expired. But if you live
in North America, they can also lurk in your walls or under
floorboards. |
在野外，这种12毫米长的食腐昆虫可以将死亡已久的动物分解掉。然而，如果你生活在北美，它们也可能潜伏在你家的墙中或地板下。 |
| Once indoors, the grubbers expand their palates.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics
Laboratory, dermestids will eat their way through materials
like old books, carpets, or woolens. |
一旦到了室内，这种吃货就会张开嘴大吃特吃。美国鱼类和野生动植物管理局取证实验室的资料显示，皮蠹会在旧书、地毯或毛织品中吃出洞来。 |
| This appetite for anything organic sometimes makes them a
nuisance for museum personnel and taxidermists. Though it’s rare,
adult dermestids have been known to fly, and escapees that find
their way into exhibits can do considerable damage. |
皮蠹对于任何有机物都有胃口，这有时让博物馆的员工及动物标本剥制师感到它们很讨厌。尽管很罕见，但是据了解存在这种情况：有的成年皮蠹会飞行，逃出去的皮蠹会飞到展品上，造成相当严重的破坏。 |
| Flesh-eating beetles on the loose sounds like an Albert
Hitchcock movie, but people need to worry more about their linens
than their limbs. |
释放出去的皮蠹正在吃肉时听起来就像阿尔伯特·希区柯克执导的惊悚片中的声音。但是，人们需要注意家庭日用纺织品，不必担心肢体会受损。 |
| There’s an urban legend about the beetles getting out in
large numbers and destroying things, Hansen said, but they don’t
eat living flesh. |
汉森称，市区有一个这样的传说：大量的皮蠹逃出去，摧毁了各种各样物品……但是它们不吃活体的肉。 |
| Or, at least, not that we know. |
或者说，起码根据我们的了解，皮蠹是不吃活体之肉的。 |
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