to a chain, and wearing them as a living brooch

called a “makech.” These decorated beetles will

live quite a long time, even without food and water,

and they are often sold as tourist souvenirs, which

can result in the unfortunate beetles being

confiscated at the US border.

The majority of species of Zopheridae in the

broad sense, excluding the true ironclad beetles, are

able to fly, and live as fungivores, predators, or

scavengers, usually associated with old trees and

good-quality forest habitats.

notes

A large, flightless species from California,

the Diabolical Ironclad Beetle Nosoderma

diabolicum has such a hard exoskeleton

that it can survive being driven over by

a car. Researchers are studying this beetle

in the hopes of designing hard, strong, yet

lightweight materials

above | Zopherus nodulosus haldemani

Found in Texas and northern Mexico,

this large, flightless species is a classic

true ironclad beetle.

below | Colydium lineola A predatory

Cylindrical Bark Beetle from North

America, well adapted to pursue

wood-boring beetles in their tunnels.