Chewing through wood: harlequin beetle

Newly developed harlequin beetles escape the trees where they are born by chewing through the wood with large, strong mandibles.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Break down >
	Physically break down >
	Biotic materials

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Small-scale composting machines or applications, small-scale sustainable forestry applications for processing wood.

[Collapse all sections] Summary

"This massive pair of mandibles belongs to a South American harlequin beetle, and is probably used only once in its life. The harlequin beetle larva lives inside a tree, where it feeds on the wood. Here it pupates, and when the beetle emerges, it has to chew its way to freedom." (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:161)

About the inspiring organism

Acrocinus longimanus
Acrocinus longimanus Bates, 1880

Some organism data provided by: TITAN: Cerambycidae database
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Small-scale composting machines or applications, small-scale sustainable forestry applications for processing wood.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Agriculture, forestry

References

Foy, Sally; Oxford Scientific Films. 1982. The Grand Design: Form and Colour in Animals. Lingfield, Surrey, U.K.: BLA Publishing Limited for J.M.Dent & Sons Ltd, Aldine House, London. 238 p.

Chewing through wood: harlequin beetle

Content tools

Curator of this page

Comments