Leaving No Trace: Beetles Hide the Scent of Food Buried For Their Offspring
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Some beetles go to great and disgusting lengths for their children.
They scout for a dead mouse or bird, dig a hole and bury it, pluck its fur or feathers, roll its flesh into a ball and cover it in goop all to feed their future offspring.
Now scientists think that goo might do more than just slow decay. It also appears to hide the scent of the decomposing bounty and boosts another odor that repels competitors.
“It helps them to hide their resource from others,” said Stephen Trumbo, who studies animal behavior at the University of Connecticut and led the new research, published Thursday in The American Naturalist. “They try to keep everyone away.”