Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/04/28/watch-beetles-paint-together.html
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Hope they can clean the paint off the beetles’ feet easily and without harm to them…
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You know, if you look at the completed work and squint your eyes… nope. Nuthin’ there.
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Oh so when Jackson Pollock does it, it’s ok, but if a beetle does it…
For me… still nuthin’ there.
Maybe it’s me, but I found this rather depressing if anything.
Is there any explanation for why the beetles perform this behaviour?
It reminds me a little of the bumblebees playing football.
Also the pebble games Japanese macaques play, but they are intelligent primates so you can imagine why they do it.
These beetles use their horns to push rival males off of logs and trees, to deny them the chance to mate.
They also push sticks around and till the ground because that’s where food is found. They eat decaying leaves, and plants.
If you ever own one of these beetles as a pet they redecorate their terrarium EVERY night.
We have stag beetles in the UK which are like this kind of “kabuto-mushi”, but I’ve never kept one in a tank.
It’s fascinating to know they use tools to search for food.
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