Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

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Billy B
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:14 am
Location: California

Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

Post by Billy B »

O.K, no such thing, but at least I got you to look. The two headed beetle is what happens when you forget to delete photos from your last stack in Helicon Focus. ( Double Exposer ) This is a California Root Beetle my son discovered in his swimming pool, which by the way, is an excellent place to find insects. All photos were taken with my Nikon D7100, Nikon 55 mm lens w/ Kiron 2x Teleconverter. and two speed lights.
Attachments
2020-08-18-16-48-06-(B,Radius8,Smoothing4).jpg
2020-08-20-20-05-02-(B,Radius8,Smoothing4).jpg
2020-08-18-17-47-53-(B,Radius8,Smoothing4).jpg
2020-08-21-11-30-02-(B,Radius8,Smoothing4).jpg

rjlittlefield
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Re: Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

Post by rjlittlefield »

Nicely shot!

Interesting that both antennae seem to have gotten broken off at the very same place.

--Rik

Billy B
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:14 am
Location: California

Re: Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

Post by Billy B »

Nothing gets by you Rik! I thought it needed some balance. :oops:

rjlittlefield
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Re: Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

Post by rjlittlefield »

Aha! Now that you mention it, I see that one of the two heads has a longer antenna then the other head does (right antenna = left side of image).

That difference did get past me the first time. 8)

--Rik

Billy B
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:14 am
Location: California

Re: Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

Post by Billy B »

I think that was before I snapped it off! ( lol )

MarkSturtevant
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Re: Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

Post by MarkSturtevant »

Very good. I found one of these many years ago. They are big.
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

rjlittlefield
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Re: Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

Post by rjlittlefield »

I'm curious, do these make a defensive noise when alive and handled?

I ask because up here in the Pacific Northwest we have a similar large beetle that turns out to sound just like a rattlesnake if you annoy it too much.

I know this because, decades ago, my mother warned me, and I said oh, OK, and then when I took it in my hand and it buzzed I threw it across the room before I could even think.

--Rik

Billy B
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:14 am
Location: California

Re: Rare Two Headed California Root Beetle

Post by Billy B »

This poor creature had already passed to the great beyond, so I'm not sure what sound it would make. I know that a June Bug makes a curious sound when handled. A kind of squeaking noise I believe made with their antennae.

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