As I was leaving the yoga studio yesterday morning a Horned Passalus Beetle (Odontotaenius disjunctus) greeted me on the sidewalk. One BIG beetle. They can grow to be 1.6 inches long and this one was certainly at least that long. Weighing in at 1 to 2 grams they’re able to haul 50 times their weight. A beetle that lives most of its life (about a year) inside a decaying log or stump, it only is out wandering when it is looking to mate. So very glad I was there to see it as it roamed.
I was struck at how this beetle looks very much like the patent leather shoes that I loved to get as my Sunday shoes when I was little. Actually one of its common names is Patent Leather Beetle. But Horned Passalus is the approved Entomological Society of America common name for this creature.
As its name would indicate, the Horned Passalus Beetle has a horn that is on top of its head, between its eyes, facing forward.
Threatening looking mandibles are part of their makeup as well. Eating dead wood is their way of life, clearing up debris in the forest.
2 responses to “Horned Passalus Beetle”
Are they also called Click Beetles or is that something different?
Hi Khalil!
This beetle is not one of the 1,000 species of Click Beetles in North America. As an explanation of what a Click Beetle is, I’ve just now published tonight’s blog post, “Click Beetles.” I’m hoping that post will help you, in part by seeing the difference in the shape of these beetles.
I’m so pleased that you read my posts. Thank you so much for that!
Bren