Weevil giraffe. What does the giraffe weevil look like? Family ties and homelands of giraffe beetles
There are moments in life when you look at some picture in a book or encyclopedia and meet there a completely unfamiliar creature that looks as if it immigrated to this sheet from a book of fairy tales or stories about non-existent creatures.
It is these thoughts that visit a person when he has the opportunity to meet with such a representative of the living world of the planet as a giraffe beetle. His peculiar name, speaks for itself. And after reading or hearing it, you can be absolutely sure that this is some kind of "animal" with a completely unusual, even peculiar appearance.
If you think sensibly, it is quite clear that our Mother Nature did her best, of course: someone got good health as a gift from her, someone got a talent, and someone had an interesting and unique appearance. Here, as they say, to each his own. But what do you say about the fact that some people live with the dream of having such a peculiar specimen as pet, instead of the usual kitten or puppy.
In this situation, everyone has completely different thoughts and opinions in their heads. Someone might think that this is nonsense and keeping a beetle in the house is already abnormal, even if it is very rare and thoroughbred, someone will think that this is really amazing and envy the determination of this dreamer, but some do not think and do not reason - they take it and start it, putting all their courage and efforts into it.
By purchasing such a miracle of nature, you will undoubtedly be able to stand out among all the people in your environment and your a pet will not only delight you every day, but will also cause a storm of various feelings and emotions in most of all your friends and acquaintances.
When it comes to choosing a friend of your smaller one, then there is absolutely no need to follow the usual rules, because choosing a friend is your personal and purely individual matter. And whether it's a beetle or a dog, it doesn't matter at all, the main thing is that you feel good together, and you experience joy after meeting your pupil when you return home after a hard day's work.
Before scouring all the websites of online pet stores, you should get to know your extraordinary "animal" better.
Family ties and homelands of giraffe beetles
In a large friendly kingdom of living organisms that are inhabitants of our world, there lives a small creature, nature has given a very bright and original appearance. This specimen is called the giraffe beetle (lat. Trachelophorus giraffa). Scientists-zoologists attributed it to the family of tubers, to the order Coleoptera and to the class of insects.
In the event that you have been visited by the thought that you want to see such a long-necked miracle in his native territory, then in order to realize this goal, you should go to the big island of Madagascar. And to be more precise, in the southeast of the island there is a small province of Fianarantsoa, in which there is one picturesque place called national park Ranomafana. It is in it, among the dense evergreen rainforest, ferns and graceful orchids, you can find this cute little bug. Although it is rarely possible to meet him when he slowly walks along the paths of his native land.
This beetle-winged insect got its name because it has a long neck, in relation to the body, like a giraffe, so people, seeing this “similarity”, called it a giraffe beetle.
If you trust some sources, the appearance of these pretty bugs was discovered not long ago, only in 2008. These prominent representatives close-knit family of tube-rollers in the conditions open nature not so much. But no one can say for sure about them. conservation status. Even in such a responsible issue, the opinions of scientists differed. Some scholars argue that they should be protected by law, as they may disappear from the face of the earth. But some of them are sure that the reason lies not at all in the fact that their limited number in wildlife - the whole snag is that these creations of nature are not at all sufficiently studied.
Description of the appearance of giraffe beetles
As for the exterior of this arthropod insect, Mother Nature, of course, worked very hard in its creation and showed all her imagination and creative thinking. If we talk about this “giraffe” and the features of his appearance, then we can firmly and very confidently say: “Once you see, you will never forget!”. And indeed it is. Looking at his photographs on various pages of the World Wide Web or in books about animals, the thought suggests itself that this is such a “super model” among everything big world entomology.
All frames with the participation of this beetle are a work of art. Saturated colors the bodies of the insect, combined with the beautiful landscape in the photo, simply fascinate and willy-nilly make them admire.
Probably the most visible and most publicized part of the giraffe-like bug's body is its neck. This attraction is not only a part of the body, but also a weapon, an instrument that helps him in creating comfort conditions in his Everyday life, as well as in the process of procreation. The length of the neck often exceeds the size of the entire body of the insect, but this happens only in males.
The structure of the neck, in these very extraordinary "bugs" is not quite elementary. It is represented by two almost independent departments. The lower "floor" is the so-called prothorax, which looks slightly elongated. The forelimbs are attached to this part. The upper part of the neck is a kind of continuation of the head capsule, slightly reminiscent of a tube in shape. The neck of these arthropods ends with a completely small head, which, in relation to the size of the entire beetle as a whole, seems extremely tiny. It contains the oral chewing system, which provides necessary processing food products of the giraffe trumpeter.
After all, as entomologists say, these representatives of the living world of the planet are not born as such: the neck of males grows in the process of development, as a result of adaptation to harsh conditions external environment. It is known that male beetles by their nature are real gentlemen and take all the male work on their neck, in the truest sense of the word. It is the neck that helps them in building cozy nests for their family.
Another feature in the body structure of these mysterious creatures is the presence of an additional neck joint, thanks to which they can quickly bend up and down without much difficulty, which helps them in mating games and in the process of obtaining food.
Females are more miniature and proportional, the size of their neck is approximately two to three times smaller. The total body length of the original beetle is approximately 20–28 mm.
It is impossible not to mention the unusually beautiful body color of the giraffe bug, which is made by nature with special sophistication and the correct combination of shades. The entire body of a beetle specimen of the genus, including the head, neck, abdomen and limbs, is painted in a rich jet black color. But the elytra appear before our eyes in a beautiful noble bright red color scheme. Another characteristic property of the body colors of this arthropod is the glossy sheen of almost the entire body, one cannot ignore how its color shimmers under direct sunlight.
Insect breeding method
These fabulous living creatures are not only happy owners of an outstanding appearance, but they also managed to stand out extremely original way breeding.
The thing is that the female representatives of these pretty insects prefer to create "new cells of society" only with the most worthy and strong "male" beetles. To do this, among the strong half of the beetles, so-called battles are held for the right to mate with a female giraffe beetle. No matter how much one or another male does not long for victory, in these bloody battles there is still one rule that they do not violate under any circumstances. It implies that in no case should any participant lose his life, they simply choose the strongest among the participants. And the entire period of this action, the female observes the course of these military actions, just as emperors ancient rome admired the battles of gladiators.
The whole point of the battle is to knock down opponents. But there are various situations, even in the life of insects. In the event that the battle continues for a long period of time, and the forces of the long-necked competitors are equal, then the right of choice goes to the “woman” beetle herself. When the fight is over or stopped by the female, the mating procession soon takes place.
Also, the male winner is not only the strongest, but also caring and prudent, and treats his future offspring with special trepidation. First, he searches for a long time for the leaf he needs, then, with the help of his unusually long neck, he folds it into a small bundle, which looks like a small tube or barrel. Then the expectant mother lays her only egg in this "cradle".
Almost all representatives of this family do this, from which the name "tubkoverty" comes from.
But not all tube-rolling giraffes are decent and caring "husbands". Most of them leave their chosen one almost immediately after the end of the mating process. After all, the female lays the egg after some time and already alone packs it in a special leaf.
If everything went without any problems and the enemy individuals did not reach the future giraffe beetle, then after a few days its larva begins to gradually make its way out of its small shelter. In the event that the "baby" does not quite have the strength to get out of his house, then maternal instinct long-necked female does her job, and she independently cuts the exit for her baby.
Features of the behavior of giraffe insects in an open environment
Speaking about these extraordinary living beings, we can say that they are inveterate homebodies. After all, they do not tend to leave their habitat, and besides, they rarely even go out for a walk.
They spend most of their free time from sleep in the trees. There they construct nests for themselves, where they live, or simply on the surfaces of the leaves. In these places, weevil bugs can spend hours basking in the sun, sunbathing. But on the trees they not only goof off, but also get food. The thing is that they feed on hard leaves of only a few types of trees, most often they live on them.
If someone is very lucky, then also occasionally there is an opportunity to meet them on the roads. There they can walk or just relax on the side of the road.
Giraffe beetle food
In the event that it comes to the diet of this representative of the world fauna, then it can be called with full confidence, casting aside all unnecessary doubts, that he is still a gourmet. After all, as you know, this cunning giraffe bug eats only leaves that grow on only two types of trees - Dichaetanthera cordifolia and Dichaetanthera arborea. It is on these representatives of the flora that they live, they feed on them, and their baby bugs are born and grow on them. So, in principle, these two trees can be conditionally called the birthplace of the fabulous giraffe beetle.
The content of various bugs as pets is not quite common, but even today it is absolutely not surprising. But with regard to this particular species of insects, due to the fact that their population is relatively very young and has been studied only in in general terms, then the acquisition of such a long-necked friend and comrade is a rather difficult task, one might even say that it is almost impossible.
In the event that fortune turned to face you, and you eventually managed to acquire such a sweetest creature nature, it is perhaps too early to rejoice. The whole problem is that, as we already know, these arthropods are already very demanding on the diet, and these trees, unfortunately, do not grow in our area. Perhaps soon scientists will still find some alternative to the favorite leaves of these insect-like "gerafics", but if you are not going to move to hot Africa, then with the institution of such a pet, it’s still worth waiting a while.
Many, of course, may think that this is not a serious problem, because you can try to give him a variety of leaves, maybe something will appeal to him and then everything will be fine, but do not forget that a completely innocent person may die creature, whose relatives are not very many on our big planet.
Perhaps you are sure that you can provide your little comrade with good nutrition, then you can think about where to put him.
Usually, terrariums or insectariums are used for a comfortable stay of various insects. For a pet like a giraffe beetle, enough space is required so that he can safely walk around his possessions without feeling any oppression.
The approximate dimensions of the insectarium should be approximately 50x50x100 cm.
As for the flooring, finely ground untreated peat may be suitable for it, but it should not be dry. It will also be good to equip his personal apartment with various twigs, branches and pieces of wood or bark. This will allow the landlord to maintain his physical strength and just have some fun sometimes.
In the house of your African giraffe insect, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature level, which should fluctuate between 22 and 28 degrees. An equally important condition is the coefficient of humidity. It is impossible to allow the air to dry out in the bug's housing, so the humidity indicator should not be lower than 70%. To prevent this, it is necessary to carry out daily spraying.
It is extremely difficult to name the price of this giraffe beetle, since it is not available for free sale.
What a giraffe beetle looks like, see this video:
- a species of beetles from the family of pipeworms. It is one of the largest representatives of this family.
photo Pere Soler flickr.com
Habitat
The weevil lives on a relatively limited range - the tropical island of Madagascar, which is located off east coast Africa. In the dense forests of Ranomafan, national park islands, you can meet this amazing animal almost everywhere - it has bright color and loves to bask in the sun. Naturally, the very name of the beetle speaks for itself, because the long neck resembles in some ways an artiodactyl giraffe.
Unusual appearance
many males different types animals are different from females. So in this case, the giraffe weevil, namely the male, has a neck much longer than the neck of the female (2-3 times). The head of the beetle is directed forward and smoothly elongated in the form of a tube. The thick "rostrum" widens towards the apex and swells in a hump-like manner at the point of antennae attachment. The eyes are oblong, relatively large, but do not protrude beyond the contours of the head.
photo Ralph Kränzlein flickr.com
The upper half-ring of the chest is cone-shaped, stretched forward. Shoulder tubercles pronounced, elytra wider than anterior dorsum, bright red with micro-striations (about 10). The giraffe weevil has wings and flies well. Its body is naked, not covered with scales, black. The length of the beetle reaches 2.5 cm.
The benefits of uniqueness
The uniqueness of the male helps him in everyday life. The giraffe weevil uses its long neck to fight other males to win the attention of a female. During the period of mating "fights" the male weevil swings his neck against another male in the same way as the spotted giraffe, he tries to knock down his opponent and show his advantage. The male beetle that wins the fight mates with the female and uses its neck to build a home for future offspring.
photo Bernard DUPONT flickr.com
home for posterity
Inside, the larvae develop in leaf tissues that are slowly undergoing processes of decay and fermentation. As soon as small larvae emerge from the eggs, they will immediately have good vegetarian food, as they will be able to eat their nest to get energy and start life. We can say that this barrel house at the same time serves reliable protection for larvae and good food.
Giraffe weevil menu
Like its tall, spotted namesake, this beetle is a herbivore and feeds on the leaves of the trees it inhabits. He especially likes the leaves of Dichaetanthera arborea or Dichaetanthera cordifolia, also known as giraffe weevil trees. Beetles rarely travel far from their green home and food source.
— Despite its somewhat unique appearance, the giraffe weevil is not dangerous to humans. He doesn't bite or sting.
- This is a peaceful insect, it does not show aggression towards other types of beetles and insects.
— Lasiorynchus barbicornis- another beetle that has the name giraffe weevil, but it is from New Zealand and is not a relative of this species.
— Giraffe Weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa) was discovered in 2008 on the island of Madagascar and so far little is known about it. So the researchers have something to work on.
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Giraffe weevil (lat. Trachelophorus giraffa) – unusual look a beetle that got its name because of the exorbitantly long neck, which in the male is two to three times longer than that of the female.
Perhaps this appearance made the male giraffe weevil an object of ridicule, but he cannot do without such a neck - it helps him in building a cozy nest, in combat operations and in the struggle for the right to mate with a female. If your long neck he will not impress his future partner, then he has one more irresistible weapon- bright red elytra, capable of conquering the heart of even the most intractable of the fair sex.
travel.mongabay.com
Having made his choice, the male prepares for family life- he looks for a suitable size sheet and folds it into a tube. This creates a safe and comfortable nest in which the female will lay only one single egg. When the time comes for the appearance of offspring, the expectant mother cuts the scroll. Thanks to this method of building a nest, these beetles were combined into one species called tubeworms (lat. Attelabidae).
australianmuseum.net.au
Giraffe weevil, one of the most large species weevil, grows to about 2.5 cm in length. These beetles live in the warm climate of Madagascar, a large island off the east coast of Africa, and feed on leaves and seeds. Tired of everyday worries, the giraffe weevil comfortably rests in forest clearings or by the side of the road.
As you already understood, this amazing creature became a "celebrity" and gained a good reputation for unique building. What makes it unique is its incredibly long neck. By the way, males have a neck 3 times longer than females.
When it comes to mating, as among many living creatures, a battle takes place between giraffe weevils, and the female patiently waits for its completion, acting as a kind of judicious referee, after which she has children with the winner of the battle. Giraffe weevils never fight to the death.
There is another species of giraffe weevil, it lives in New Zealand.
This wonderful video from the BBC shows how the giraffe weevil is cared for and how the house for the offspring is built.
Although the species is not endangered or critically endangered, very little is known about this insect, as it was only discovered in 2008.
The adults feed on the tree, which is known as the giraffe beetle tree. weevils spend most their lives in these trees and rarely leave them.
Females lay eggs on foliage, and then roll them so that future offspring receive food. This beetle behavior was discovered in 2011 and published thanks to the BBC.
The giraffe beetle, or giraffe weevil (lat. Trachelophorus giraffa) is an extremely unusual insect from the Pipeworm family (lat. Attelabidae). The males of this species have acquired a very long neck, making them look like giraffes.
They need such an elongated organ not for beauty, but for the purpose of procreation. With its help, they masterfully fold the leaves into a tube so that the female can lay an egg in it.
Spreading
In 1860, the French naturalist Henri Jaeckel discovered a small strange beetle during an expedition to Madagascar, which he described and named Trachelophorus giraffa. Then they forgot about it and reopened it only in 2008. Amazing Creation is an endemic species and is not found anywhere else outside the island. It inhabits it eastern regions and lives in tropical rainforests.
Giraffe beetle in early spring large quantities appears in the area national parks Andasibe-Mantadia, Maroyei and Ranomafana. Its entire existence is associated with low trees Dichaetanthera arborea and Dichaetanthera cordifolia from the Melastomataceae family. They resemble shrubs and have large covered light fluff leaves. From them, the enterprising bug extracts juice, which serves as its main food.
The giraffe-weevil is very shy and at the slightest danger spreads its wings and flies away like a small helicopter away.
reproduction
To continue their race, giraffe weevils have to work hard. First, there are long fights between males. Rivals try to push each other off the surface of the leaf of their favorite plant with their necks in order to make a positive impression on the future chosen one nearby.
No one wants to give in to anyone, so the competitor thrown down again climbs into an impromptu ring and demands the resumption of the fight. This can continue many times until the fighters become exhausted and both of them are forced out by a new and full of strength conqueror of women's hearts.
When, finally, a married couple is formed, then the spouses are faced with the most important task - to lay one single precious egg. The female gnaws the edges of the leaf, and the male tries to roll it into a tube like a cigar and glue the ends together. This painstaking work takes about half an hour. Having made the masonry, the beetles jointly gnaw through the vein of the leaf, after which it falls down. The process is repeated several more times.
Soon, miniature yellow larvae appear in the thickness of the fallen leaves. At first, they feed on the leaf in which they hatched, and then turn into a chrysalis. It turns out a real giraffe beetle.
Description
Body length does not exceed 25 mm. Only males have a characteristic elongated neck. It can reach 18 mm. In females, the neck is 3-4 times shorter. The body is black. Reddish or orange wings serve to scare away predators. oral apparatus chewing type. Antennae of medium length.
The giraffe beetle is not aggressive and is tolerant of insects of other species. It poses no danger to humans.