Bombardier beetles have a unique defense mechanism; they can spray acid at their potential predator. False bombardier beetles do not have the same chemical defense as real bombardier beetles, but they are not without resources....they can spray "formic acid" from their backside which is exactly what many species of ants use as their defense....and believe me it is a formidable chemical to have sprayed at you. It effectively "burns" the skin and causes irritation that can last for hours depending upon your own bodies reaction to the chemical. The best way to differentiate between "real" and "false" bombardier beetles is that real ones have a red head as well as a red thorax, whereas false ones have a black head. I cannot say that I have seen a real one, since each specimen I find has the black head.
Finding these beetles is easy, simply turning over logs in the timber will almost always yield at least one, and often times several of these beautifully marked beetles....remember though....look but don't touch!
Here in AZ the false ones are rarer than the real Brachinus. I didn't know about the formic acid - seems more a threat than the little hot puff that Brachinus produces. Of course, Brachinus makes a little explosive sound, so that's impressive. B. is shorter and faster than Galerita, you'd see the difference right-away. We have all black Galeritas in addition to at least three bi-colored ones in AZ.
ReplyDeleteI keep my eyes open all the time for the real Brachinus, but never seem to be looking in the right place. While formic acid seems a relatively non-threatening defense.....it welts me up and hurts for hours. These false bombardiers are very fast, I can't imagine if B. is faster WOW
ReplyDeleteLooks like I'm a bit late to the party but do you know anything about the relative numbers/population of bombardier to false bombardier beetles in Missouri? Research paper and I can't find anything on it!
DeleteI wish I could give you an answer, but I honestly don’t know either. Typically the insect which is the mimic occurs in fewer numbers than the one it is trying to mimic. So my guess would be the false bombardier beetle would occur in fewer numbers, but I have nothing to back that up, It is just merely my best guess.
DeleteOh thank God for this I thought I was gonna die
DeleteThe post is interesting, but I am in awe at the comments. Two people who are experts discussing these bombardiers is a real treat.
ReplyDeleteLOL Emma...I am flattered that you think I am an expert, I am more of an enthusiastic amateur. Margarethe on the other hand is definitely an expert in her field.
ReplyDeleteI get so many bites I definitely will avoid a sprayer.Steve
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Steve, I get mosquito bites, tick bites and all sorts of other bites too. I've even been blistered by a blister beetle!
ReplyDeleteAll I have to say is screw that beetle I was looking up info for it cuz I got shot in the eye by it's spray today I was screaming like a little girl for about 15 min not to mention I tripped ate crap trying to get into the house to wash out my eyes it was big black and had huge pincers I picked it up to look and he nailed me write in the eye with its string of formic acid from it's but let me tell u it felt like someone stuck a red hot nail straight outta the fire and shoved it in my eye
ReplyDeletePs u see one leave it the he'll alone it ain't worth it
OMG Anonymous! How horrible for you. Often times we learn the hard way that insects are best left untouched. I've received blisters from blister beetles, horrible bites from ants, stings from bees, and various other unsavory happenings, but I can honestly say I've never nose-planted into crap after being unduly attacked by an insect. These beetles are truly best left alone, and I am glad you shared your very unfortunate incident with everyone here. I hope your eye feels better soon.
ReplyDeleteFelt something in my pants, sitting here after Thanksgiving at 9:30pm at night. Looked down to see what I thought to be a roach crawling around my waist. Pulled pants off to find what I later ID'd as this False Bombardier Beetle. Not sure when or where it decided to shack up in my pants but its not the action I prefer while on vacation in SC. My wife and I got a good laugh about it, though, as I do not think it bit me (apparently it cant) and I dont think it sprayed me, though I will thoroughly wash my 'area' to be sure.
ReplyDeleteProbably will just wear shorts when visiting my Mom from now on as well, though my pants look nothing like a log or stone!
Question. And I cant seem to find this anywhere, what is the color of the spray that the real bombardiers release? I'm doing a research paper and I need to know that...
ReplyDeleteI live in SC. I found a false bombardier beetle between my chin and pillow in the wee hours of the morning last week. I felt the movement and frantically brushed it off my face. I thought it had bit me, so I searched and eventually found it and scooped it into a jar. The next morning I had a nice welt on my chin. It took several days of searching numerous sites before I could identify it. In the meantime the welt turned to a half-inch long irregular scab. I must have been sprayed with the acid. Now one week later, I still have traces of the scab. It was an adventure I don't care to repeat.
ReplyDeleteI've encountered a few of these False Bombardier Beetles over the past few nights in my basement computer room. Each one has been seen...and caught...venturing across my hardwood floor. The first couple of them were immediately dispatched under my shoe-covered foot. The most recent one is presently residing in an empty cashew jar while I do some reading on them after having successfully identified the critter. He...or she...seems desperate to find a way out of this jar.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, I wasn't spit upon by either of them.
I just encountered my first False Bombardier Beetle while headed to the bathroom. Seen a black bug on the floor near my livingroom entry so I hurriedly used the bathroom with the intentions on killing it. When I got a good look at it, I noticed that with it's backing, that it was some kind of beetle. I just didn't know what kind. Not wanting to leave it alive, I went and got some bleach and poured it on top of the beetle. I went to put the bleach away and came back and it was STILL alive. Not wanting to live it there, I went and got the broom and shovel, swept it up and put it in the toilet. Lord and behold, it started swimming and that's when I noticed the black head and red abdomen. Not knowing what I was dealing with, I took a pic of it in the toilet and automatically started Googling to find out what kind of beetle it was. To make a longer story short, I lucked up on this and found that indeed this was the bug that I just seen. After reading the comments, I'm glad I looked it up and found out what kind of bug it was and that I didn't have to be "sprayed". I hope there isn't any more lurking around.
ReplyDeleteNot quite spring here, found one crawling from bathroom into dining room. Not sure if came up out of basement or if I brought it in with firewood, under the bark. It can move fairly quickly. Without harming it, I put it in a container with a clear lid. And took a few pictures and released it outside into the dark. Such a distinctive coloring, I identified something like it in Borrer. Dr. Art Evans has an interview about them. Now I have one VA insect identified!
ReplyDeleteThese False Bombardiers are invading my house in Missouri. I have seen 8 of them in the past few days. Trying to find the entry point. I definitely will be staying away from them after what I've found out here. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteHad them in the house for a couple years here in KY. They love to wake you by crawling on you at night.
DeleteI have them in my house. I have been here almost 27 years and never saw them before until May 2020. I am worried about my kitty and a false bombadier beetle meeting eye to eye. How worried should I be? Will my kitty naturally, instinctively avoid it? Can it cause great harm to a cat?
ReplyDeleteI've had plenty of various creepy crawlies decide to wake me up in the middle of the night. Spiders, beetles, ants, centipedes, silverfish, crickets, nearly every common household bug in the book. Even waking up to find a dead hornet chilling on my pillow with me (no idea where it came from, how it died, and how I didnt get stung) stinger still intact and everything. I rather don't appreciate it, but living in an older house out in the sticks comes with the luxury of getting very personal with the local insect population. Bugs are fine, they're kinda cool sometimes, but the feeling on them crawling on me makes me want to rip my skin off. Expecially when its midnight and I'm trying to get some decent sleep. Usually, no matter what bug it is, I vacate the bed and sleep on the couch for a night or two. Or until I forget about the feeling of multiple tiny legs on me. There's not much I can do to really eliminate them. Seal entrances, good luck finding them all with this old house. Pesticide and traps, I have pets as well that would be harmed by chemicals or mess with traps. Reduce habitat, you're kidding... I've got 6 acres of forested mountainside, that's impossible. Last night I was graced by the presence of one of these Falsies walking over my hand. I flicked my hand, sending it sailing onto a pair of pants I had draped over the back of my chair. I didn't really want him joining me back on the bed, so I grabbed the pants and threw them into the bathroom for a time out while I grabbed a pillow and headed for the couch. I am oh so happy to find that these little guys also shoot formic acid. I've yet to get sprayed, but I've woken up with mystery bug bites enough to probably have been bitten by one at least once. I never kill the bugs I find wanting to be bedmates, just toss them outside or into a different room where they will probably become prey to my two very playful cats. I've trapped and carried plenty of different spiders outside while others wield their shoes or climb on the furniture. I just wished the little buggers would show me the same courteousey.
ReplyDeleteThese things have invaded my home in a minor way. They love to wake you up by crawling all over you. Usually crawling up the shirt of my PJs. I wonder if this could be the cause of my feet, hands and ah hmmm other area that keeps itching and peeling.
ReplyDelete