Insect · GBIF taxon 9672850
Dentate Stink Beetle
Eleodes dentipesAlso known as Tooth-legged Stink Beetle, Dentate Pinacate Beetle, Desert Stink Beetle
Wandering across western chaparral and woodland floors, the dentate stink beetle scavenges fallen organic detritus with a steady, deliberate gait. When alarmed, it raises its abdomen skyward in a classic acrobatic headstand, ready to emit a noxious quinone secretion from abdominal glands. Its tightly fused elytra lock over the body, forming an airtight subelytral chamber that conserves moisture in parched environments.
NocturnalDecomposerFlightless
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Leaf Litter
- Rotting Wood
- Fungi
Predators
- Southern Grasshopper Mouse
- Loggerhead Shrike
- Western Toad
ThreatsHabitat loss, widespread pesticide application, and urban development
HabitatsChaparral, oak woodlands, desert scrub, and leaf litter
Life span1–3 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyTenebrionidae
- GenusEleodes
- SpeciesEleodes dentipes
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Search beneath rotting wood, large flat stones, and thick leaf litter during daytime hours.
- Handling: Refrain from picking up the beetle to avoid triggering its foul-smelling chemical discharge.
- Defense Display: Watch closely from a low angle to see its famous upside-down headstand posture.
Predator (c) Olivia Guswiler, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Predator (c) Dawn Beattie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative xpda / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Image unavailableClose Relative
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