Blue Death-Feigning Beetle

Asbolus verrucosus

Blue death feigning beetles earn their name not only by the way they look but also by the way they act. Although these bugs appear blue, which is part of how they earned their name, they are a dark brown or black color and only appear blue due to a waxy coating on top of their exoskeleton that acts as a sunscreen. They also earned the name ‘death-feigning’ by faking their death, rolling onto their backs, and tucking their legs in when they are frightened. These beetles can be found in the southwest United States (California, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico) into northwest Mexico, but are most abundant in the US Sonoran Desert in Arizona. They are considered detritivores, meaning they will feed on dead or decaying matter on the ground. Due to their eating habits, they hold a very important role in their ecosystems but could be at risk since they are becoming more popular in the pet trade.

Our Current Residents

The Beetle Colony, Sex Unknown- Birthdates Unknown

The colony we have at the zoo came to ZooMontana in 2023 and we currently have five different individuals. Our beetles are extremely difficult to tell apart, although one beetle is larger than the other, it is not thought that it has to do with any hierarchy. We assume to have both males and females within our colony.

You can get to know the colony better and meet them in person through our programs scheduled through the education department!   

Taxonomy

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Family: Tenebrionidae
  • Genus: Asbolus
  • Species: Asbolus verrucosus

Animal Facts

Detritivores: mainly eat rotting fruit, veggies, dead insects, and or seeds

Population Status: currently listed as not having a status

Habitat: desert

Activity: nocturnal- mostly active during the night