This beetle hunts with a sticky harpoon!
Рет қаралды 99,780
5 ай бұрынI finally found and filmed a Stenus beetle! These rove beetles are famous for hunting springtails by using a projectile mouthpart (a modified labium) with sticky pads at the end.
I collected the individual in this video in Crossnore, NC in August of 2023. Long time Ant Lab collaborator Dr. Matt Bertone helped me find it and he took the still images you see of it in this video! follow him on X/Twitter @/Bertonemyia
SEM image of sticky pads is from:
Koerner, L., Gorb, S. N., Betz, O. (2012) Adhesive performance of the stick-capture apparatus of rove beetles of the genus Stenus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) toward various surfaces. Journal of Insect Physiology 58: 155-163
Image of surface skimming is from:
Lang, C., Seifert, K., Dettner, K. (2012) Skimming behaviour and spreading potential of Stenus species and Dianous coerulescens (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Naturwissenschaften 99: 937-947
Music licensed from soundofpicture.com
@TierZoo 5 ай бұрын
Wow, this is some incredible footage! I've never seen anything like this!
@AntLab 5 ай бұрын
I thought you might like this one!
@chrisegnoto 5 ай бұрын
Agreed. This isn't easy to film.
@CounterCurseMantra 5 ай бұрын
the new meta
@cherrim3881 5 ай бұрын
nature's way to counter evasion build
@ColonelMetus 5 ай бұрын
@@AntLabI would be worried it would bite my penis thats why I dont swim in lakes
@alveolate 5 ай бұрын
wait, there are THREE THOUSAND SPECIES of this stenus beetle?? my jaw just dropped as fast as its sticky harpoon
@AntLab 5 ай бұрын
yeah, one of the most species-rich genera of anything!
@thnderleg 5 ай бұрын
Not really that surprising when you know that 1/4 of all animals on the planet are beetles.
@lauxmyth 5 ай бұрын
'An inordinate fondness' and all that.
@GermanSausagesAreTheWurst 5 ай бұрын
@@AntLab I hear the systematics is really complicated.
@alveolate 5 ай бұрын
@@thnderlegyea but there should be thousands of genuses within beetles... this is ONE genus :O
@cryptocorynes1253 5 ай бұрын
It's almost like a terrestrial dragonfly nymph
@omartistry 5 ай бұрын
Reminds me of the Xenomorph’s inner jaw attack! I swear, Beetles have all the coolest abilities in the animal kingdom: Flight, Super Strength, Super speed, Reflexes, Bioluminescence, Impenetrable Armor, Chemical projection, and so much more.
@riteshjadhav1382 5 ай бұрын
Also a great diving beetle can breathe underwater by using air bubbles as oxygen tank
@Beepers559 5 ай бұрын
And then there’s giraffe weevils, who’s superpower is long neck
@darchandarchan7036 24 күн бұрын
thats why 25% of all known animal species are beetles
@tomkrawec 5 ай бұрын
Projectile mouth parts are... certainly something.
@tomkrawec 5 ай бұрын
From 2:38 on you can see the captured springtail attempt to jump away, twice, but there's no surface underneath for it to jump from.
@gus473 5 ай бұрын
Once again, nature tops science fiction! 😎✌️
@xLuis89x 5 ай бұрын
@@gus473 science fiction tends to base itself on nature
@OttomanZC 5 ай бұрын
At 2:39 - 2:40 you can even see the springtail trying to jump after it has already been caught!
@ulalaFrugilega 5 ай бұрын
Don't know what's happened to them yet, don't know they are already dead.
@aflippedearofacat2955 5 ай бұрын
I wanna say it’s so goofy but the reminder they’re fighting for the rot life makes it less goofy…
@GermanSausagesAreTheWurst 5 ай бұрын
I love Rove Beetles. I even have a Rove Beetle t-shirt.
@Jorgeola757 5 ай бұрын
Great information. Thanks for the education. My granddaughter and I really enjoy your videos.
@Tim_Teller 5 ай бұрын
This reminds me of how cone snails have adopted harpoon to catch fish they would be to slow to catch other-wise. Though, the cone snails utilize paralyzing venom in their harpoon
@Deontjie 5 ай бұрын
Everything is a symmetrical grand design.
@Pseudoscience-is-a-scam 5 ай бұрын
Reminds me of a lot of things, like the mask of a dragonfly nymph or a chameleon tongue.
@alpacaofthemountain8760 5 ай бұрын
True!
@jorditimmer2840 5 ай бұрын
@@Deontjie What?
@Deontjie 5 ай бұрын
Looking at evolution, almost everything in nature is symmetrical. From leaves to earthworms to animal hands to butterfly wings. How come everything is symmetrical? Doesn't that bothers you?@@jorditimmer2840
@zachb8012 5 ай бұрын
Rove beetles are so cool. There's a species I've found under rocks in my back yard that sticks its abdomen up in the air and if you provoke it, the beetle will extrude this weird white fluffy organ. I don't know if this is what it was doing but I read many species have the ability to produce a pheromone that attracts a given species that they'll parasitize in a variety of ways. This species looks like a land based damsel fly nymph, except it must be an example of convergent evolution because it doesn't look like that harpoon is part of their lower jaw. Funny how two animals that live in a similar area would independently evolve similar features to hunt similar animals, except one species of prey lives above the water and the other below. Evolution is cool.
@zopheris5038 5 ай бұрын
Could have been defensive glands. I personally study darkling beetles, however I remember learning that spieces of rover beetles in the genus Ocypus, in particular O. olens, tend to show the behaviour you described in order to strike incoming predators with foul smelling secretions (an additional defense if their mighty mandibles weren't enough)
@W4VDragon 4 ай бұрын
devils coach horse beetle
@BugBobsWildWorld 5 ай бұрын
Great video! I had no knowledge of this genus and its adaptations.
@liarspeaksthetruth 5 ай бұрын
It's really cool @2:39 to see the springtail loading/unloading its tail to try to flick away and escape!
@mavaction 5 ай бұрын
I saw a slo-mo video today that simply had a timestamp in microseconds posted on screen. It makes calculations easier for the viewer. In this video... I know it is recorded at 6000fps in places... but I need to know playback fps too. But worse, I can't count time perfectly like a machine. So if I try to calculate the speed of the spear for example, I have to do a good bit of mental math and estimation. This channel has so much novel slow motion video... I thought I'd share this simple presentation technique that really worked well. You can instantly find the time between two freeze frames...
@n0tourist 5 ай бұрын
thank you for your amazing work , spreading the love for bugs everywhere
@M-Tow 4 ай бұрын
At 2:38 you can actually see the springtail attempt to escape, but it's already too late! Great footage!
@randomdummy3391 5 ай бұрын
That thing is probably high A tier considering it has the base stats of a beetle + a rare and powerful grab attack that gives it a down right broken matchup against its preys
@genericalfishtycoon3853 5 ай бұрын
Rove beetles are my favorite insects, clever little critters too! Super quick and good at evading large predators. They'll fold their abdomen over their head and run like a scorpion too which is neat/intimidating looking. Just try and catch an adult! You can see a jumping spider like predatory intelligence behind their movements. Always fun to encounter in the wild. They lose all their sharpness to their skills when raised in captivity, like a house cat vs. feral cat. Makes me think they must have a pretty good thinking ability to adapt like, changing so quickly.
@benedictstocker5851 5 ай бұрын
They are also poisonous, in my experience ants will not touch them + they have fairly good vision for an insect.
@louiesumrall358 5 ай бұрын
looking good Stenus, keep up the good work
@anthonyroyodonnell5216 5 ай бұрын
Absolutely Amazing. Like a Chameleon in miniature
@helloitsnicko 5 ай бұрын
Always happy when you upload a new video!
@LegoCookieDoggie 5 ай бұрын
omg you can clearly see the parts of the labium and that’s so cool to me
@snaxx6316 4 ай бұрын
very underrated video. It's amazing what happens all around us at such a small scale. All these little creatures are just around everywhere, just like us, doing their own little thinggg.
@benedictstocker5851 5 ай бұрын
Great video, I'm currently working on a thesis regarding the prey capture behaviour of these beetles and It's nice to see them get some atttention. They are such remarkable and charismatic animals but a bit too small to notice when you don't know what you're looking for.
@jimmyc3238 5 ай бұрын
"The ant's a centaur in his dragon world." Great video!
@Skywards00 5 ай бұрын
A good example of convergent evolution between a Chameleon and a Bettle 😅
@dinalab 5 ай бұрын
Wonderful work as always!
@simplepixel5617 5 ай бұрын
Your content is always awesome!
@compostjohn 5 ай бұрын
Invertebrate behaviour never ceases to amaze me. So many brilliantly evolved adaptations. And so sad we're undergoing an apocalypse of insect extinction. Our own will likely follow if we continue doing what we're doing....
@blackvx 5 ай бұрын
Mind blowing footage! Well done and thanks for sharing 🙌
@nunyafunyuns 5 ай бұрын
Always loved the beetles
@Avabees 5 ай бұрын
So cool ❤
@akrulla 5 ай бұрын
I had no idea stenus beetles even existed. Thanks! 😁😎
@Sark0filla 5 ай бұрын
Thanks for the Video! AMAZING!
@kevinhuntley8975 5 ай бұрын
I love how there will always be new things to amaze me in entomology! Thanks for tacking on a new one, you earned my sub! I request a cuckoo wasp video!
@d.l.sosnik2135 5 ай бұрын
I'm just happy they are tiny.
@joelcantu4778 5 ай бұрын
You do those rove beetles all so have a earwid steiner to grab there pray to ok man 😎👍
@gpask 5 ай бұрын
Another amazing video, nice job!
@timurvekilov612 5 ай бұрын
Wow, amazing. Thank you for perfect video
@astick5249 5 ай бұрын
mind blown by cool animal thing once again!
@francoissalame5193 5 ай бұрын
Beautiful, thank's!
@ChannelMcChannelname-ly9gw 5 ай бұрын
Ant Lab is best channel on YT
@ScientistCat 5 ай бұрын
The springtails look so silly backflipping in the air like that,p
@StellarLimpkin 5 ай бұрын
Oh my gosh there’s so many Stenus 😭. Those coleopterists are hardcore
@tedbomba6631 5 ай бұрын
Another great video, thanks !
@gibbogle 5 ай бұрын
Great stuff! Thanks.
@andrewlamberson539 5 ай бұрын
Another A+ video!
@user-sv6fw1qg8c 5 ай бұрын
I learned something new today. Thanks
@idid1866 5 ай бұрын
Never heard of this beetle before, it's very interesting!
@theant1952 5 ай бұрын
awesome video as always.
@JuliusSobrino 5 ай бұрын
Incredible!!!
@_Stalc_ 5 ай бұрын
Reminds me of the dragonfly nymph hunting, they even almost look like each other.
@dhruvbarak2104 3 ай бұрын
this is incredibly beautiful
@BerryLovesBugs 5 ай бұрын
Love your content!!
@tentoma 5 ай бұрын
凄い映像を見せて下さり、ありがとうございます🙇💖
@ulalaFrugilega 5 ай бұрын
In real life one wonders what just happened to bring the springtail from there, unbothered, into the jaws of a destroyer, doomed, in seemingly no time at all! Gorgeous footage, still absolutely jaw dropping at my age (54) growing up with what he had back then...
@larryjohns8823 5 ай бұрын
Wow, a horror movie with giant rove beetles snatching hikers walking in the forest😮
@chrisegnoto 5 ай бұрын
Reminds me of the odonatas. Not easy to film! Amazing
@DragonSoul621 5 ай бұрын
Looks like the mouth parts of a dragonfly nymph, pretty cool
@BugGwen 5 ай бұрын
ZOMG! This is amazing Adrian!!!!
@AntLab 5 ай бұрын
Glad you liked it, Gwen!
@holli2437 5 ай бұрын
Thank you for covering insects and other critters like you do! Your vids are always so informative and don’t try to frame these animals as scary, breath of fresh air really
@Shawnsatisfiedwife 5 ай бұрын
Very cool
@t0mn8r35 5 ай бұрын
Remarkable.
@jpetrovich1987 5 ай бұрын
This is so cool!
@tracybowling1156 5 ай бұрын
Aren't insects the most interesting creatures!?! I wish I'd known that when I was younger. Instead of being afraid of them.
@chrisegnoto 5 ай бұрын
I definately agree. I tend to do most of my species highlights on insects and invertebrates. There are some really crazy ones in my area. The Antlions and Mantidflies are some of my favorites to watch and film. This video is amazing.
@alpacaofthemountain8760 5 ай бұрын
Love this
@captain_buggles 5 ай бұрын
After all the books i read and all the Animal Planet and Discovery Channel i watched as a kid, I'm shocked that this is the first time I ever learned about these.
@saufi89 5 ай бұрын
...its like me watching the cliffhanger of our legendary games all over again.😩
@John_Smith007 5 ай бұрын
I too enjoy utilizing my sticky harpoon
@beetlecast 5 ай бұрын
The diversity of rove beetles is just jaw-dropping
@piazza1129 5 ай бұрын
Awesome
@dj-kq4fz 5 ай бұрын
Very cool, thanks! Also, I've seen Ze Frank using some of your footage. You've hit the big time it seems!
@geovannarojas2580 5 ай бұрын
I love this
@Spectrulus 5 ай бұрын
... there are beetles that do what chameleons and cone snails do? THERE ARE MORE KINDS OF THEM THAN ALL PRAYING MANTISES? Thanks for the video. I've been delighted by your works for years, and I even have my own springtail colony now.
@AlisNinsky 5 ай бұрын
So cool And also a bit terrifying
@lucasmendoza7576 5 ай бұрын
I once heard of these beetles, but not much after. Good to see it was not just a dream. Have you heard how orchid mantises use their femoral lobes for gliding, not camoflage.
@Layput 5 ай бұрын
Thanks god for youtube. Scientists are able to pursue their passion, educate young people and at the same time make more than enough money for it.
@unintentional_perfectionist 5 ай бұрын
In a galaxy far far away. On a very distant planet. You know there’s probably giant versions of these insects. And while insignificant here. They’re probably apex predators there.
@amirazhar8377 5 ай бұрын
Its like a mini alien...cute but deadly 😅
@pixelcat29 5 ай бұрын
This is a cool video but that thumbnail gives me chills in more ways I can’t explain
@Tanapseudes 5 ай бұрын
Even before chameleon tongues. Amazing.
@JohannVonVorst 5 ай бұрын
Holy schmoly
@oofmasta9395 5 ай бұрын
"He can attack its prey in a single frame" Me, who plays fighting games: that's..... pretty damn fast.
@dillis2188 5 ай бұрын
That speed is incredible - at 6,000 fps it's still nearly instant.
@TammyBundleballs 5 ай бұрын
Thats some Alien stuff right there
@forthegod 5 ай бұрын
this video needs "Get over Here!" sound effect
@X3N0_M0RPH3 5 ай бұрын
its the real life Aliens !! :D
@bichiroloXP 5 ай бұрын
That's like a land version of a dragonfly nymph
@JH-lz4dh 5 ай бұрын
I have a new insect to look for!
@chrisegnoto 5 ай бұрын
I recently filmed a species of Kidnapper ants go on a raid to replenish their ranks, it was so dramatic and fascinating to witness!
@zucottimanicotti7112 27 күн бұрын
The chameleon tongue of the bug world
@fannyalbi9040 5 ай бұрын
new inspiration for the new xenomorph hybrid
@larsbliss2728 5 ай бұрын
Yep, this is right from the Alien series. Watch out for those mini facehuggers.
@ArchangelExile 5 ай бұрын
2:38 You can see the springtail attempting to spring but it's too late.
@bookafishabyannafedulova7336 5 ай бұрын
This is amazing video! Could you film wingd termites? It would be interesting
@arieltarrand834 5 ай бұрын
experience *THIS* kind of satisfaction 🤣🤣🤣
@WGzombie 5 ай бұрын
Hot dang that's a fast bug
@tomkrawec 5 ай бұрын
Fast bugs, Slow bugs / Little critters that give lots of hugs / Big bugs, Small bugs / Catch them all and keep them in mugs.
@zlatogursky 5 ай бұрын
Would be cool to compare with dragonflies larvae, which have a similar setup I believe. Thaks for the video!
@johnmurdoch8534 5 ай бұрын
Reminds me of alien.
@olliefoxx7165 5 ай бұрын
If you have seen the movie "Aliens" you will remember what the alien could do with its mouth. It had a smaller mouth that came out of its larger mouth like the harpoon is doing to draw things closer. I wonder if the writers got inspirational from this beetle.
@bt9565 5 ай бұрын
It’s crazy that these are skinny, large eyed beetles. I would have thought they were wasps! And, I’m just now learning that several fast-jawed insects are predators of springtails. It makes so much sense! But they (especially the trap jaw ants) always seem to be introduced without explaining the niche
@LimeyLassen 5 ай бұрын
Damn! I'm in like the only part of the US where you don't find these guys.