THE INSECTLIBRARY FIELD GUIDES
Bombardier BeetleIdentification, facts & practical guidance
Bombardier beetles are particular groups of ground beetles known for a chemical defensive discharge. Most ground beetles are not bombardier beetles.
Compiled by the InsectLibrary Team · Updated · Editorial policy
Identification and lookalikes
Do not use a dark wing case or orange head alone to identify a bombardier beetle. A genus-level identification is needed before assigning the special chemical defense to an individual.
How the defense works
When threatened, bombardier beetles can release an irritating chemical spray from the rear of the body. The defensive mechanism is the reason for the common name, not a feature of every species in Carabidae.
What to do next
Photograph without squeezing or provoking the beetle. Keep it away from eyes and skin. If identification is uncertain, record it as a ground beetle and seek a specialist comparison.
Bombardier Beetle: species profiles
Explore 36 species profiles covered by this guide, with recorded names and available photos.
Brachinus alternans
Brachinus alternans
Square-winged Bombardier Beetle
Brachinus quadripennis
Brachinus rugipennis
Brachinus rugipennis
Brachinus aabaaba
Brachinus aabaaba
Brachinus adustipennis
Brachinus adustipennis
Brachinus alexiguus
Brachinus alexiguus
Brachinus americanus
Brachinus americanus
Brachinus cibolensis
Brachinus cibolensis
Brachinus costipennis
Brachinus costipennis
Brachinus cyanipennis
Brachinus cyanipennis
Brachinus cyanochroaticus
Brachinus cyanochroaticus
Brachinus elongatulus
Brachinus elongatulus
(c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY)Showing 12 of 36 species. Browse all in Coleoptera →
Sources and further reading
- mdc.mo.gov - beetlemaniahttps://mdc.mo.gov/magazines/xplor/2020-05/beetlemania
References support the subject discussed here; they do not certify every imported directory record. Regional sources describe their own locations. Read our source and correction policy.