ELEODES, THE BEETLE THAT STANDS 



ON HIS HEAD 



(Eleodes sp.) 



ANY one who has traveled much in the region 

 west of the Mississippi, especially in the South- 

 western United States or Lower California, 

 must have often seen the curiously behaved and 

 pungent-odored pinacate beetles or tumble- 

 bugs (Eleodes). These interesting, black-bod- 

 ied, hard-shelled beetles are so prevalent in one 

 part of Mexico that a mountain range and the 

 whole surrounding region has taken its name 

 from them. I refer to the Pinacate mountain 

 country of Sonora. 



The outstanding feature of interest in respect 

 to these creatures is their habit when alarmed 

 or disturbed of elevating their bodies and lit- 

 erally standing on their heads. If excited too 

 much while on the run, they will frequently tip 

 themselves up vertically so quickly that they 

 tumble heels over head, often landing on their 

 backs. They then will either feign death or 



