Can beetles play dead?

[arachknight]

When fish were collected from the ocean for the pet trade. A form of cyanide was used to stun the fish but not kill them. Is there a similiar substance for insects/spiders? I recently had a beetle go totally limp, shook it gently, the legs and head moved around like a bobble-head figure, there was no response. There was an aroma from the cage of vinegar. I aired it out and then after a few hours alive and kickin. thoughts? Drunk beetles?

 

[Teddingtonfancy]

Some species of beetles can play dead. For example the blue death feigning beetle.

 

[Beetle-Experience]

Tons of types can play dead, especially right when you dig them up out of the substrate; dung beetles are really good at this. Usually though, their legs body parts will stay rigid, and not wiggle around. If there was a strong vinegar or ammonia smell, your beetle could have passed out from lack of oxygen. I have had this happen when there is not enough ventilation and / or lots of decomposing fruit or plant matter in the container.

 

[platypusninja96]

Also if it is limp it may have over heated. This is more common with shipped though.

 

[Acro]

As for the fish you are referring to, they become stunned by the cyanide, recover, then die weeks later. There is much info to research about aquarium fish where this happens.

Good Luck with your beetles, what species did this happen to?

 

[Hisserdude]

Who knows, the guy started this thread like 7 years ago!

 

[Ratmosphere]

Dung beetles can easily be mistaken for dead. It takes a while of observing them to fully know if they are alive.

 

[vinegaroonie]

2008? What?