Material that shields beetle from being burned by its own weapons holds promise
Carabid beetles produce caustic chemicals they spray to defend themselves against predators, and the compound that protects their bodies from these toxic substances shows promise for use in bioengineering or biomedical applications, according to Penn State researchers.
When Pennsylvania ground beetles are not defending themselves they are friends of agriculture, consuming up to their body weight daily, eating pests such as aphids, moth and beetle larvae, as well as slugs and snails. They can spray their defensive chemicals a distance multiple times their body length. IMAGE: NICK SLOFF PENN STATE
