Thursday’s edition of Wild Facts – The Best Offense is a Good Defense takes us back to the insect world. Pictured above is the Bombardier Beetle which has a very complex self-defense mechanism.  In fact, it is so complex that many Creationists believe that it would have been impossible for the bombardier beetle to evolve this strategy.  They believe that the self-defense system of this beetle was developed at one time.  Do you want to know what this unique and complex strategy is? Of course you do otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this today!

If you are a predator of the bombardier beetle then you are going to want to pay close attention to what I am going to say.  If you don’t then you run the risk of  getting sprayed with boiling water.  That’s right, folks the bombardier beetle is able to blast boiling water at their attacker.  How do they do this without using a pot or a kettle? As I mentioned earlier, it is a fairly complex system but basically the beetle has secretory cells that can produce two chemicals in separate parts of their body .  They are able to create a  chemical called hydroquinone as well as hydrogen peroxide.  When this insect is threatened it will contract their muscles causing the two chemicals to mix.  Once this happens than you had better look out!  When these chemicals mix it creates a foul tasting substance that can instantly reach its boiling point.  This reaction will cause this secretion to squirt out of the beetle and into the face of the attacker.  This will usually surprise and annoy the predator causing it to run off and hide.  I tried to simplify this defense strategy but please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Have a great day!