armored darkling beetleEleodes armatus
Tenebrionidae
Let's everyone stand on their heads! Okay, I give in, there's a link to BugGuide.net above. It's surprisingly difficult to find online information of CA beetles. I added a link to the CA Beetle Project under recommended ID links. So, is it E. armatus or E. armata? I'm not absolutely positive this is an E. armatus, because its elytra were incredibly smooth without dimples. I need to start carrying around a little ruler to measure these suckers.
I was so proud of my photo and the different camera angle... until I found several hundred online just like it. Growing up in the Central Valley, I often poked and prodded a larger and less tapered-butt Eleodes. They're fun beetles. Touch them and they do a headstand for you. I am apparently fortunate enough to have never experienced the noxious spray of the stink beetle. Haha, I've actually poked many stink beetles hoping to witness this reported spray, but I've never seen it.
ps - I've been putting off posting additional pics of beetles until I got the Field Guide to Beetles of California. In all honesty, it's not what I had hoped it'd be for a field guide; it reads more like a textbook summary for people who're already familiar with the beetles in question. Yet, it's the best CA beetle book I've found, so I'm keeping it. Maybe with time I'll become more comfortable using it and will appreciate all the information. With so many beetles everywhere, I can see why there are so few ID books.
I was so proud of my photo and the different camera angle... until I found several hundred online just like it. Growing up in the Central Valley, I often poked and prodded a larger and less tapered-butt Eleodes. They're fun beetles. Touch them and they do a headstand for you. I am apparently fortunate enough to have never experienced the noxious spray of the stink beetle. Haha, I've actually poked many stink beetles hoping to witness this reported spray, but I've never seen it.
ps - I've been putting off posting additional pics of beetles until I got the Field Guide to Beetles of California. In all honesty, it's not what I had hoped it'd be for a field guide; it reads more like a textbook summary for people who're already familiar with the beetles in question. Yet, it's the best CA beetle book I've found, so I'm keeping it. Maybe with time I'll become more comfortable using it and will appreciate all the information. With so many beetles everywhere, I can see why there are so few ID books.
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