Beetle bombing always deters praying mantises

Abstract

Some animals have evolved chemical weapons to deter predators. Bombardier beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Brachininae: Brachinini) can eject toxic chemicals at temperatures of 100 °C from the tips of their abdomens, ‘bombing’ the attackers. Although some bombardier beetles can reportedly deter predators, few studies have tested whether bombing is essential for successful defence. Praying mantises (Mantodea) are ambush predators that attack various arthropods. However, it is unclear whether bombardier beetles deter mantises. To test the defensive function of bombing against praying mantises, I observed three mantis species, Tenodera sinensis, Tenodera angustipennis, and Hierodula patellifera (Mantidae), attacking the bombardier beetle Pheropsophus jessoensis (Carabidae: Brachininae: Brachinini) under laboratory conditions. All mantises easily caught the beetles using their raptorial forelegs, but released them immediately after being bombed. All of the counterattacked mantises were observed to groom the body parts sprayed with hot chemicals after releasing the beetles. When treated P. jessoensis that were unable to eject hot chemicals were provided, all mantises successfully caught and devoured the treated beetles. Therefore, bombing is essential for the successful defence of P. jessoensis against praying mantises. Consequently, P. jessoensis can always deter mantises.

Bombardier beetles repel invasive bullfrogs

“…Bombardier beetles were maintained separately in small plastic cases (diameter: 85 mm; height: 25 mm) in the laboratory at 25 °C (cf. Sugiura, 2018 ; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Sugiura, 2021 ). Dead larvae of Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were provided as food (cf.…”

“…Carabid adults also exhibit morphological, physiological, chemical, and behavioral defenses against predators ( Giglio et al, 2021 ). For example, adult bombardier beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Brachininae: Brachinini) discharge toxic chemicals ( e.g ., 1,4-benzoquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone) and water (vapor) at a temperature of approximately 100 °C ( i.e ., bombing) from the tip of abdomen when they are attacked by predators ( Video S1 ; Aneshansley et al, 1969 ; Kanehisa & Murase, 1977 ; Dean, 1979 ; Kanehisa, 1996 ; Eisner, Eisner & Siegler, 2005 ; Arndt et al, 2015 ; Sugiura, 2018 , 2021 ). The hot chemicals can effectively protect the beetles from predators such as arthropods ( Eisner, 1958 ; Eisner & Meinwald, 1966 ; Eisner & Dean, 1976 ; Eisner et al, 2006 ; Sugiura, 2021 ), amphibians ( Eisner & Meinwald, 1966 ; Dean, 1980 ; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Sugiura, 2018 ), reptiles ( Bonacci et al, 2008 ), and birds ( Kojima & Yamamoto, 2020 ).…”

“…For example, adult bombardier beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Brachininae: Brachinini) discharge toxic chemicals ( e.g ., 1,4-benzoquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone) and water (vapor) at a temperature of approximately 100 °C ( i.e ., bombing) from the tip of abdomen when they are attacked by predators ( Video S1 ; Aneshansley et al, 1969 ; Kanehisa & Murase, 1977 ; Dean, 1979 ; Kanehisa, 1996 ; Eisner, Eisner & Siegler, 2005 ; Arndt et al, 2015 ; Sugiura, 2018 , 2021 ). The hot chemicals can effectively protect the beetles from predators such as arthropods ( Eisner, 1958 ; Eisner & Meinwald, 1966 ; Eisner & Dean, 1976 ; Eisner et al, 2006 ; Sugiura, 2021 ), amphibians ( Eisner & Meinwald, 1966 ; Dean, 1980 ; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Sugiura, 2018 ), reptiles ( Bonacci et al, 2008 ), and birds ( Kojima & Yamamoto, 2020 ). The bombardier beetle Pheropsophus ( Stenaptinus ) occipitalis jessoensis Morawitz (formerly called Pheropsophus jessoensis Morawitz; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Sugiura, 2018 , 2021 ), which is commonly found in grassland, farmland, and forest edge environments in Japan, Korea, China, and Vietnam ( Habu & Sadanaga, 1965 ; Yahiro et al, 1992 ; Ishitani & Yano, 1994 ; Fujisawa, Lee & Ishii, 2012 ; Ohwaki, Kaneko & Ikeda, 2015 ; Fedorenko, 2021 ), has been frequently studied to investigate the effectiveness of bombing as an anti-predator defense ( Sugiura, 2018 ; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Kojima & Yamamoto, 2020 ; Sugiura, 2021 ).…”

“…The hot chemicals can effectively protect the beetles from predators such as arthropods ( Eisner, 1958 ; Eisner & Meinwald, 1966 ; Eisner & Dean, 1976 ; Eisner et al, 2006 ; Sugiura, 2021 ), amphibians ( Eisner & Meinwald, 1966 ; Dean, 1980 ; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Sugiura, 2018 ), reptiles ( Bonacci et al, 2008 ), and birds ( Kojima & Yamamoto, 2020 ). The bombardier beetle Pheropsophus ( Stenaptinus ) occipitalis jessoensis Morawitz (formerly called Pheropsophus jessoensis Morawitz; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Sugiura, 2018 , 2021 ), which is commonly found in grassland, farmland, and forest edge environments in Japan, Korea, China, and Vietnam ( Habu & Sadanaga, 1965 ; Yahiro et al, 1992 ; Ishitani & Yano, 1994 ; Fujisawa, Lee & Ishii, 2012 ; Ohwaki, Kaneko & Ikeda, 2015 ; Fedorenko, 2021 ), has been frequently studied to investigate the effectiveness of bombing as an anti-predator defense ( Sugiura, 2018 ; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Kojima & Yamamoto, 2020 ; Sugiura, 2021 ). Pheropsophus occipitalis jessoensis can successfully deter birds ( Kojima & Yamamoto, 2020 ), frogs ( Sugiura, 2018 ), and praying mantises ( Sugiura, 2021 ).…”

“…The bombardier beetle Pheropsophus ( Stenaptinus ) occipitalis jessoensis Morawitz (formerly called Pheropsophus jessoensis Morawitz; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Sugiura, 2018 , 2021 ), which is commonly found in grassland, farmland, and forest edge environments in Japan, Korea, China, and Vietnam ( Habu & Sadanaga, 1965 ; Yahiro et al, 1992 ; Ishitani & Yano, 1994 ; Fujisawa, Lee & Ishii, 2012 ; Ohwaki, Kaneko & Ikeda, 2015 ; Fedorenko, 2021 ), has been frequently studied to investigate the effectiveness of bombing as an anti-predator defense ( Sugiura, 2018 ; Sugiura & Sato, 2018 ; Kojima & Yamamoto, 2020 ; Sugiura, 2021 ). Pheropsophus occipitalis jessoensis can successfully deter birds ( Kojima & Yamamoto, 2020 ), frogs ( Sugiura, 2018 ), and praying mantises ( Sugiura, 2021 ). However, adults of the bombardier beetle Ph .…”