I was awakened from a nap on the beach by the sound of my brother informing me he had located a Click Beetle. Now I have to tell you it has been many long g years since I have encountered a Click Beetle and I immediately went to investigate.
Sure enough just inside the rotting stump of a palm tree snug as a bug was a click beetle.
They have a habit of snapping their bodies when they are pick up and even for someone who knows what is coming it is a shocking experience!
Click beetles get their name for their ability to right themselves if they find themselves stuck on their back. A spine on the underside of the thorax fits into a groove on the underside of the abdomen. If the insect finds itself upside-down, it arches its body and with a loud click, snaps itself straight, launching into the air. They are masters of thanotosis or feigning death, often tucking their antenna and legs close to their bodies and remaining still for a long time. This Elaterid is from Ecuador. Other tropical species of the genus Pyrophorus, possess bright bioluminescent regions.
Certianly the quick snapping action would facilitate an escape from most birds or small mammals who might be interested in snacking on one.
