Photo: Contributed
Today’s Bug of the Week is a nasty-looking customer.
The black beetle was spotted on the Central Okanagan recently as it scurried across the ground.
A picture of the black bug shows a beetle with antennae, what appears to be a segmented hard shell, and small wings.
And this a nasty customer indeed.
An internet search for ‘black beetle’ turns up bevy of creepy crawlies, but this particular monstrosity is an American Oil Beetle.
According to insectidentification.org, when threatened or squeezed, they emit a chemical that creates blisters and irritates human skin. These wounds will heal, but they are painful. This chemical defence can ward off predators and give the beetle time to escape.
