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Bug Wears Armor Made of Poo

Posted by samzenpus on from the protection-you-can-smell dept.

richardkelleher writes "It seems it doesn't always roll downhill, sometimes it is armor. The case-bearing leaf beetle apparently protects itself by constructing armor made from excrement. Females of these species typically construct bell-shaped receptacles made of feces around an egg immediately after they lay one."

6 comments

  1. Poo armour? by gstoddart · · Score: 1

    Shitty. :-P

    Cheers

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  2. You can't break through by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My Shitanium defences!

  3. Not uncommon by RealErmine · · Score: 1

    When the eggs hatch, the larvae cut off the roof of these cases, poking only their heads and legs out in order to move and feed. They never leave these cases when they are young, instead adding their own excrement to enlarge them and accommodate their growth. After they reach maturity, the adult beetles cut themselves free of their cases with their mandibles.

    Should sound familiar to some of you...

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    1. Re:Not uncommon by Valdrax · · Score: 1

      Minus reaching maturity, of course.

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  4. No excuse, really by OmegaOdy · · Score: 1

    They need to get together with some friends or a pug and run some dungeons.

  5. Yo! by geekoid · · Score: 1

    It's the shizzle, snizzle!

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