Category: the Division of Combustion Engines

Bombardier beetle (Pheropsophus jessoensis) in defensive posture spraying. Courtesy: www.swedishbiomimetics3000.com

Beetle’s inspirational defence mechanism

Brachinus crepitans is a centimetre-long beetle that deters predators, such as ants and frogs, by turning its back to the attacker and loudly squirting it with a mist of irritating liquid. A few years ago, a research group at the University of Leeds had the idea of developing the beetle’s...