Walking on a trail one year ago I happened to notice a darkling beetle scurrying on the ground, scooped it up in a Tupperware, and brought it home to put it in an empty enclosure I had available with some substrate. A week or so later it died, not sure why, I figured it was just at the end of its life cycle. But I ended up just leaving it there in the enclosure.
One year later, today, I noticed a new beetle in the enclosure. I thought, "huh, I guess she laid some eggs before she died, and one must have survived all on its own and became an adult". I checked the enclosure more thoroughly and found that the beetle that I thought was dead, who was still in the same place, upside down, was moving. I flipped her over and she started walking and eating. What the . I am shook. What is happening. Did it contract a zombie fungus or something? There's no way a beetle can survive for a whole year on its back motionless, right? Was it hibernating?? If so why?? And why wake up now in August???
One year later, today, I noticed a new beetle in the enclosure. I thought, "huh, I guess she laid some eggs before she died, and one must have survived all on its own and became an adult". I checked the enclosure more thoroughly and found that the beetle that I thought was dead, who was still in the same place, upside down, was moving. I flipped her over and she started walking and eating. What the . I am shook. What is happening. Did it contract a zombie fungus or something? There's no way a beetle can survive for a whole year on its back motionless, right? Was it hibernating?? If so why?? And why wake up now in August???