Asbolus verrucosus

Common card · No. 307861

Asbolus verrucosus LeConte, 1851, also known as the desert ironclad beetle or blue death feigning beetle, is a species of darkling beetle native to southwestern United States (southern California to Utah and New Mexico) and northwestern Mexico, where it inhabits dry, sandy habitats such as the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts. It is highly adapted to hot environments and is omnivorous, consuming dead insects, fruits, lichen, and other plant matter. When threatened, the beetles are able to feign death. A. verrucosus larvae may reflex bleed during their death-feigning ritual. This releases hemolymph which acts as an adhesive, partially covering the larvae in sand and debris, helping evade desert-dwelling predators. The species is becoming increasingly popular in the pet trade, due to their ease of care, hardiness, and longevity.

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