Absolus verrucosus Mounting Asbolus laevis?

[BeetleMom]

So...I have two beetles, Bella (blue death feigning beetle), and Olive (smooth death feigning beetle). They are, to my best knowledge, both female. It's roughly 11:30 PM right now, which is when they're at their most active. 

Olive was on top of a large rock in their enclosure, and Bella climbed up and started tapping Olive's elytra with her antennae. She then positioned herself in the usual mating fashion, and then would not let her go for a while. 

Has anyone else witnessed this? Have I been horribly bamboozled by Bella's anatomy and she is, in fact, a very large male with no visible red hairs on her antennae, or is this something else? 

 

[aspenentomology]

Antennae sexing doesn't seem to be very easy or reliable, although it sometimes works. In my opinion, it's most likely that the BDFB is a large, confused male.

I've witnessed attempts at interspecies mating in Eleodes, although not with these species. Usually males of very small species will sometimes attempt to mount females of large species. I've also seen males mount females backwards... Darklings aren't too good at their job.