Blue Death Beetles

(Asbolus verrucosus)

The blue death-feigning beetle gets its bluish tint from a wax that it secretes to protect itself against overheating and dehydration.

This beetle gets its name from its defense mechanism, playing dead! When they feel threatened they roll over onto their back and play dead. Their main predator, spiders, prefer live prey instead of dead husks.

They eat rotting plants and seeds, lichens and fungus.

This species is a desert dweller that is common in the Southwestern U.S., especially Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.

Information collected from https://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/experience/animals/invertebrates/blue-death-feigning-beetle/