This beetle is found the deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Also known as the desert ironclad beetle, it plays dead when threatened.
The life of a blue death-feigning beetle
Blue death-feigning beetles can grow to nearly one inch and live eight years or more. They release a blue wax coating that offers protection from the sun to avoid drying out in their desert habitat. When they get wet, the coating washes off and they appear black. The beetle then produces more blue wax.
After mating, females dig a hole one or two inches deep and lay hundreds of tiny eggs. Soil conditions must be just the right temperature (80-88°F) and humidity (75-80%) for the eggs to develop and hatch.
Blue death-feigning beetles feed on fruit, carrion, other insects and plant matter. Their species name “verrucosus” means “covered with warts”, which refers to the bumps on their abdomens.
As a small insect with many predators, blue death-feigning beetles have a creative approach to defending themselves. Lying on their backs with legs in the air, they pretend to be dead. Since spiders and other predators prefer live prey, they will often ignore the death-feigning beetle. They can play dead for just a few minutes or for several hours.
Blue death-feigning beetles at the zoo
Located in the Insect Zoo.
