Trivia question for Aug-15-2011

Olivia loves all living creatures, even all types of insects so when she learned about these unique bugs, she knew she had to make it her trivia of the day.   These guys shelter by burrowing in the sand dunes during the day to escape the fierce heat of the Namib Desert.  Some species possess white wing-cases to reflect some of the sun’s heat, making them 5-7 degrees cooler than the black thorax.

These insects thrive in the unique harsh desert and many species occur nowhere else on earth.  So far their coastal region has escaped oil pollution and until recently the forbidding conditions prevented people from exploiting the land for grazing.  However, diamond companies have begun to mine the dunes, which is certain to affect their habitat.

So here are Olivia’s questions:  Tell us what this bug is called and where it gets its unique name?  Also, these guys are known for running fast and far.  Tell us how far from the release site one of these tagged insects actually traveled?

Good luck 😉

Answer:

Well Olivia is ecstatic because no one was able to answer her trivia.  The smart bettle we featured is called the Fogstand Bettle.  The Fogstand Beetle is also known as the Namib Desert beetle dwells in one of the most arid areas with only one and half inch of rain per year. They get their fitting name because they have developed a unique technique to survive by obtaining water from early morning fogs. It drinks by the means of its own bumpy back surface, which provides for accumulation of water droplets of fifteen to twenty micrometers in diameter.

These guys are very fast and travel very far.  One tagged beetle was recovered 12 miles from its release site.  Here is more on these beetles: Fogstand Beetle

Thanks for playing along 😉