Asbolus verrucosus
Asbolus verrucosus, also known as the desert ironclad beetle or blue death feigning beetle, is a species of darkling beetle native to the deserts of the Southwestern United States, mainly the Sonoran desert. It is highly adaptable to hot environments and feeds on fruit, dead insects, and sometimes even plant matter.[3] This beetle has been known to feign death when threatened. They are increasingly becoming popular in the pet trade, due to their ease of care, hardiness, and longevity.
| Asbolus verrucosus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | A. verrucosus[1] |
| Binomial name | |
| Asbolus verrucosus (LeConte, 1851)[2] | |
Description
The blue feigning death beetle grows to around 18–21 mm (0.71–0.83 in) from head to abdomen. The bumps on the abdomen of this species give us the second half of the species name verrucosus meaning 'warty'. The first half of the name asbolus roughly translates to 'sooty'. The powdery blue hue coloring the beetles is due to a wax secreted throughout their bodies that keeps them from losing moisture.[4] Males are slightly smaller than females and have bristly red hairs on their antennae visible in the right lighting. The beetles are crepuscular, meaning that they are most active at dawn and dusk.
Captivity
Even though the majority of captive beetles are wild-caught, blue death feigning beetles suit very well in captivity, being common and even popular in zoos and insectariums. These insects are becoming increasingly popular as pets. They require little to no additional heat or humidity, and only require dry sand as substrate as well as something to hide in. They cannot climb on smooth surfaces (plastic or glass). No water dish is required, and they can be fed foods such as apples, carrots, and dog and cat foods. Crickets or mealworms that have recently died can be given on occasion. Blue death feigning beetles have been successfully kept with desert hairy scorpions.
References