I have a friend who has heard of a flesh eating beetle that will strip the flesh off a small dead animal and leave a very clean and attractive skeleton. Does any insect knowlegable person know what it might be?

No insect knowledge but Google gifted me this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermestidae

we have a beetle in nz that does the job

can be found in tanneries or in an offal pit

http://www.skulltaxidermy.com/kits.html

lol you can find the larvae of these in the pigs ears at animates lol just saying

lol you can find the larvae of these in the pigs ears at animates lol just saying

feed the dog and the fish... lol

Let me know if you find any.

They use them in those CSI shows don't they?

Try your local university (biology area) or museum.

try ESR - I know of a scientist there who specialised in Forensic science and bugs. She'd be bound to know what it is

I have a friend who has heard of a flesh eating beetle that will strip the flesh off a small dead animal and leave a very clean and attractive skeleton. Does any insect knowlegable person know what it might be?

ummm, ants

We have a fish breeder here that maintains quite a large colony of ants. He has a lot of tanks and has figured out how to keep the tanks whole during the shakes but still loses a few fish.They tidy things up very quickly. My friend is after beetles and I think we now know what to look for so thanks for the help---I have passed the info on.

Maggots will do a good job, then put the bones into some bleach to make them really white