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Bess Beetle
Sep 20, 2020 18:18:44   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
This is my preserved Bess Beetle that I've had for about two years now. I brought it out to see how it was holding up and while out I staged it for a focus stacking session to showcase its powerful chewing mandibles.

The Bess Beetles are totally harmless and actually make nice pets for those who enjoy keeping insects. They play a very important part in nature by helping decompose fallen trees and limbs which aids keeping the forest floor healthy.

They are also quite social and they live in family groups and they co-parent their young. Bess Beetles also tend to 'talk' to each other by rubbing their body parts and even the larvae communicate making them quite special. It takes a special gut to digest rotting wood so the young eat the poop to obtain the digestive bacteria necessary for their survival.

I frequently find them when I scout the woods looking for specimens so they are abundant in the woods of our area. I find them to be quite interesting as well as a joy to watch so I only collected one hoping for it to last a long time.


(Download)

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Sep 20, 2020 18:28:26   #
Quixdraw Loc: x
 
Remarkable yet again, and thanks for the added info on the insect!

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Sep 20, 2020 18:35:28   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
quixdraw wrote:
Remarkable yet again, and thanks for the added info on the insect!


Thanks, and this is a full body view of my preserved Bess Beetle that I staged on a piece of an old rotted limb. I think that the "heart shape" on their thorax makes them quite special and it makes them stand out from others.


(Download)

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Sep 20, 2020 18:37:29   #
Quixdraw Loc: x
 
sippyjug104 wrote:
Thanks, and this is a full body view of my preserved Bess Beetle that I staged on a piece of an old rotted limb. I think that the "heart shape" on their thorax makes them quite special and it makes them stand out from others.



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Sep 21, 2020 10:14:12   #
kpmac Loc: Ragley, La
 
Outstanding, sippy.

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Sep 21, 2020 10:34:11   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
quixdraw wrote:


Thanks, Quixdraw. They are truly quite social and content munching on rotting treefall all day.

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Sep 21, 2020 10:36:31   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
kpmac wrote:
Outstanding, sippy.


Thanks, Kpmac. Looking at all of the downed trees you fellows have down there you could use a lot of Bess Beetles to help in the cleanup.

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Sep 26, 2020 09:28:09   #
napabob Loc: Napa CA
 

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Sep 26, 2020 10:20:48   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
napabob wrote:


Thanks, Napabob. These are among my favorite beetles.

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