Leaf Beetle Fashion Trend: Poop Is the New Black

The dung beetle in all its varieties certainly comes by its name honestly by rolling, burrowing and burying the south-bound byproducts of north-facing critters.

But by way of an article in LiveScience, an altogether different species of beetle has clearly out-dung itself in an effort to be recognized for its dedication to making good use of excrement.

The bug in question is a case-bearing leaf beetle, and they actually come into this world wearing a suit made of poo. The mother beetle will mold an encasement made from fecal matter around a just-laid egg. When the egg hatches, the young beetle will chew open a hole just large enough for its legs and head to emerge, permitting it to move and to feed.

However, the armor of excrement stays on, thank you very much, offering protection from predators. Scientists believe the success of the poop suit in thwarting the hungry advances of potential predators may be due to the difficulty or possibly the unpleasantness of breaking the shell.

Recent observational experiments using the beetle and their predators suggest as well that predators mistake the fecal costume for the real thing, not even aware of the fact that something quite tasty is hiding in the middle of that there hot mess.

Photo courtesy of US Department of Agriculture, via Wikimedia Commons