Devoted Parents

The evening sun was casting golden rays through the forest as I was meandering along the gurgling creek. I decided to pause for a bit and sit on a fallen tree. Listening to the twittering birds was so peaceful. Then, to my surprise, I see this large, shiny black beetle crawling slowly across to log towards me. He was almost 2 inches long and appeared ferocious. However, he moved so slowly that I wasn't too concerned and since I had my camera, I eagerly snapped a few pictures.

Come to find out it was a Patent-leather beetle, also known as a Bessbug or wood beetle. They live inside of old logs, make tunnels in the wood, and eat old decaying wood. Inside these tunnels they live, breed, raise their young, and die. Unlike many insects that lay their eggs and leave their young to fend for themselves, patent-leather beetles will feed their young for up to a year. Can you imagine... for a whole year these insects care for their young and feed them regurgitated food! Since they only live as adults for about 1 1/2 years, that means that they pretty much spend their whole little life devoted to their young. Because the young white grubs cannot feed themselves, both parents feed them a chewed-up mixture of wood and yes, feces. Once the wood goes through their digestive system the first time, it grows a fungus and this is what they are eating. Anyways, they also communicate with each other with squeaking sounds that humans can hear.

 These beetles are considered beneficial because they help dead wood decompose. They are also great for teaching children about insects since they are harmless to humans, move slowly, and are large enough to handle easily.

"The wisest of men may learn useful lessons from the ways and habits of the little creatures of the earth." ~E.G. White