One particularly fascinating insect to look out for this month is the curiously named Bloody-nosed Beetle.  At 20mm long it's a relatively large beetle and although it'd be difficult to describe it as attractive it does have a certain charm.

Unlike many other beetle species, the Bloody-nosed Beetle can't fly, and being a vegetarian it doesn't have to run fast to catch its food either.  In fact it has quite a slow, bumbling sort of walk, a bit like someone who's had too much to drink.

The Bloody-nosed Beetle gets its name from its habit of releasing a drop of red fluid when it gets frightened or disturbed (known as 'reflex bleeding').  The beetle itself is totally harmless, and so this noxious, red beetle juice is its only defense against predators.

Related Pages

• Bloody-nosed Beetle Fact File
• UK Safari Beetles Section
• UK Safari Invertebrate Section
• UK Safari News