Nature has come up with some pretty interesting ways for animals to defend themselves from other animals. Some animals have natural camouflage that allows them to blend in with their backgrounds, while others are fast or move in herds for protection.
Then, there is the bombardier beetle.
The bombardier beetle actually refers to any one of more than five hundred species of ground beetles that protects itself by shooting a boiling hot liquid chemical from its stomach that makes a popping sound. The bombardier beetles are of the Carabidae family and can surprisingly be found on every continent except Antarctica. So, chances are if you’re reading this there could be one of these creatures in your area.
The way in which the bombardier beetle makes this unique explosion inside its body is not completely understood, although scientists know the basics. The explosion begins through a reaction when two different chemicals, hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide, are combined into a weaponized mix. Thanks to modern photographic technology, scientists have watched this process happen. Each of the chemicals resides in a separate chamber in the beetle’s abdomen until it encounters danger, at which point the two chemicals are mixed together until they reach a boiling point.
Then it can bomb its enemy.
The chemical is actually emitted from the beetle in a series of pulses, not a continual spray or a bomb as the name of the animal suggests. And the spray doesn’t come out randomly either; the beetle can aim its weapon at its intended target. The weaponization of the spray is the result of it being both hot and corrosive: The temperature of the spray can get as high as 212°F with a corrosive effect.
You’re probably wondering if bombardier beetles spray humans with this corrosive chemical? Yes, bombardier beetles commonly spray larger animals and humans when they feel threatened, but there is nothing you have to worry about. A spray attack from a bombardier beetle might burn for a little bit, but it will quickly go away. Actually, there is a good chance that you’ve been sprayed by a bombardier beetle and thought it was something else.