A Bombardier Beetle Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae)
Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) is a ground beetle in the tribe, Brachinini, native to parts of South and Central America. Ground beetles of this tribe are commonly referred to as bombardier beetles due to their ability to produce a powerful and hot defensive chemical spray directed at would-be pr...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | EDIS |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/123403 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1825198462529961984 |
|---|---|
| author | Gregory Parrow Adam Dale |
| author_facet | Gregory Parrow Adam Dale |
| author_sort | Gregory Parrow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) is a ground beetle in the tribe, Brachinini, native to parts of South and Central America. Ground beetles of this tribe are commonly referred to as bombardier beetles due to their ability to produce a powerful and hot defensive chemical spray directed at would-be predators. This spray is capable of harming humans, resulting in discomfort, physical burns (due to the spray temperature), and possibly contact dermatitis. The adults of this species are nocturnal and believed to be generalist predators and scavengers. However, larval stages appear to depend on an exclusive diet of mole cricket eggs. As such, Pheropsophus aequinoctialis may have potential use as a biological control agent against certain invasive mole cricket pests in North America. This article describes this insects biology, development, and behavior.
Also published on the Featured Creatures website at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Creatures/BeneFICIAL/beetles/Pheropsophus_aequinoctialis.html
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd2a0297b9c94b3c99762ea4e98ba230 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2576-0009 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EDIS |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd2a0297b9c94b3c99762ea4e98ba2302025-02-08T05:46:04ZengThe University of Florida George A. Smathers LibrariesEDIS2576-00092021-04-0120212A Bombardier Beetle Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae)Gregory Parrow0Adam Dale1University of FloridaUniversity of Florida Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) is a ground beetle in the tribe, Brachinini, native to parts of South and Central America. Ground beetles of this tribe are commonly referred to as bombardier beetles due to their ability to produce a powerful and hot defensive chemical spray directed at would-be predators. This spray is capable of harming humans, resulting in discomfort, physical burns (due to the spray temperature), and possibly contact dermatitis. The adults of this species are nocturnal and believed to be generalist predators and scavengers. However, larval stages appear to depend on an exclusive diet of mole cricket eggs. As such, Pheropsophus aequinoctialis may have potential use as a biological control agent against certain invasive mole cricket pests in North America. This article describes this insects biology, development, and behavior. Also published on the Featured Creatures website at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Creatures/BeneFICIAL/beetles/Pheropsophus_aequinoctialis.html https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/123403bombardier beetlebiological controlmole cricket |
| spellingShingle | Gregory Parrow Adam Dale A Bombardier Beetle Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae) EDIS bombardier beetle biological control mole cricket |
| title | A Bombardier Beetle Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae) |
| title_full | A Bombardier Beetle Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae) |
| title_fullStr | A Bombardier Beetle Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Bombardier Beetle Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae) |
| title_short | A Bombardier Beetle Pheropsophus aequinoctialis (L.) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae) |
| title_sort | bombardier beetle pheropsophus aequinoctialis l insecta coleoptera carabidae |
| topic | bombardier beetle biological control mole cricket |
| url | https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/123403 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gregoryparrow abombardierbeetlepheropsophusaequinoctialislinsectacoleopteracarabidae AT adamdale abombardierbeetlepheropsophusaequinoctialislinsectacoleopteracarabidae AT gregoryparrow bombardierbeetlepheropsophusaequinoctialislinsectacoleopteracarabidae AT adamdale bombardierbeetlepheropsophusaequinoctialislinsectacoleopteracarabidae |