Five-inch elephant beetle in search of mating partner

Mark Frauenfelder 12:09 pm Thu Jun 5, 2008

Billy, a 5-inch-long elephant beetle that arrived in London via a banana shipment from Costa Rica, is desperate to hook up with a female before he kicks the bucket. Elephant beetles live just four months and are endangered because of rainforest decimation.

Linton Zoo director Kim Simmons said: "Billy needs to mate.

"He is showing all the signs and keeps displaying. He bobs up and down on his branch and taps on the ground.

"He has been making the most of his new home and emits tiny mating calls. It's like he's saying 'here I am, come get me'."

Link (via Arbroath)

Previously on Boing Boing:
• Meet the beetle
• Indian boy producing winged beetles in his urine
• 1.4 million beetles tile palace ceiling
• Republican Slime Mold Beetles
• Cross-stitch a dung-beetle!
• Beetle-inspired moisture control
• Creepy looking bug from Brazilian Boing Boing reader
• Ladybug group shot

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