Exploding Chemical Bug?

[Felkon]

Someone I know told me to try and find out what the name of a certain bug is... I'm guessing its some sort of a beetle maybe. It has 2 nosils on the end of its butt and they can both aim in different directions, one of the nosils contain chemical 'a' and the other contains chemical 'b' and when these two chemicals collide, it explodes... creating an explosion similiar to a firecracker. Does anyone know the name of this bug?

 

[whoami?]

Originally posted by Felkon
Someone I know told me to try and find out what the name of a certain bug is... I'm guessing its some sort of a beetle maybe. It has 2 nosils on the end of its butt and they can both aim in different directions, one of the nosils contain chemical 'a' and the other contains chemical 'b' and when these two chemicals collide, it explodes... creating an explosion similiar to a firecracker. Does anyone know the name of this bug?

I'm assuming you're talking about bombardier beetles, though they don't defend themselves in quite the same way you were talking about. Bombardier beetles produce a mixture of chemicals that are then secreted into a special internal reaction chamber. The walls of this reaction chamber secrete enzymes that react with the peroxides in the original mixture of chemicals. This causes a rapid formation of gasses, and the temperature of the mixture reaches boiling. Pressure increases too. And eventually this pressure causes the boiling hot chemical to explode out of the beetle onto a predator. And the beetle can aim this chemical jet, but it can't aim the individual mixtures in separate directions (since the reactions occur internally).

Or something like that.

As far as the name, there are many different species of bombardier beetle. I'm not sure if you're looking for a genus or species name for one particular type of bombardier beetle. If you are, you've probably got a lot of research to do.

 

[Felkon]

Ah ok, that answers my question. So what causes the 'pop' sound exactly? ...The pressure ejection of the chemicals out from the body or something?

Man I wish I could buy one of these guys... I doubt they sell them anywhere, though.

 

[arachnoking1234]

do they sell these

 

[Scolopendra55]

I've never seen them for sale but they are very common in the southwest and tropics.

 

[arachnoking1234]

I've never seen them for sale but they are very common in the southwest and tropics.

thats too bad i want one so bad do they live in the U.S.

 

[Scolopendra55]

...do they live in the U.S.

Their all over the southwestern united states.

 

[Malhavoc's]

YEs they do their annoying, but a suprisingly good ant repelent most call em vinger beetles round here cuss of the smell.

BTW their mixture causes boils and blisters if played with

 

[arachnoking1234]

can someone send me a couple i will pay for shipping

 

[Drachenjager]

Blister bug lol

sounds like a blister bug to me i cant imagine anyone wanting them things lol

 

[aggie08]

Haha, seriously... doesn't sound like a fun pet

 

[Dark Raptor]

sounds like a blister bug to me i cant imagine anyone wanting them things lol

Me!
I had european specie Brachinus crepitans (Carabidae), they are great. Also some species belonging to family Pauside can use 'exploding chemical defense'.

Here is article about "bombardier beetles":
http://entweb.clemson.edu/museum/beetles/local/btle6.htm

 

[ilovebugs]

I lifted a rock at a day camp once as a kid, and exposed 3 or 4 or these guys, and they sprayed. I'm pretty sure I remember getting a bit burned and being pretty turned off by the smell.

since then I have looked, and found beetles that look identical to some species, but these are what I beleive to be called "false bombardier beeltes"

I would love to have a pair.

oh, and I've always wanted to know, if you stepped on one, would it mix the chemicals and react? possible buring your foot, or melting a shoe?

 

[arachnoking1234]

sounds like a blister bug to me i cant imagine anyone wanting them things lol

i do can you get me some