The Enthusiastic Museum-goer - _TNY_6353
Some scientific names can explain so much what a species is about. This tiny tiny beetle (this is at 4.3:1 magnification and the beetle is ~2 mm long) is known as Anthrenus museorum - or the museum beetle.
Now what is museal about it you ask? Well, while the adults live on nectar and pollen, the larvae are part on nature's clean-up crew. They primarily eat dry skin and hair and are part of the effort of not having dead animals lying around everywhere.
Now imagine a museum of natural history or similar. Rows and rows of taxidermied animals which basically consist of specifically dry hair and skin. Not exactly a desired visitor, right?
Focusing on this particular specimen, doesn't the pattern of those scales look just amazing?
The Enthusiastic Museum-goer - _TNY_6353
Some scientific names can explain so much what a species is about. This tiny tiny beetle (this is at 4.3:1 magnification and the beetle is ~2 mm long) is known as Anthrenus museorum - or the museum beetle.
Now what is museal about it you ask? Well, while the adults live on nectar and pollen, the larvae are part on nature's clean-up crew. They primarily eat dry skin and hair and are part of the effort of not having dead animals lying around everywhere.
Now imagine a museum of natural history or similar. Rows and rows of taxidermied animals which basically consist of specifically dry hair and skin. Not exactly a desired visitor, right?
Focusing on this particular specimen, doesn't the pattern of those scales look just amazing?