Blue Feigning Death Beetles

These beetles are named after their appearance as well their display of thanatosis (death-feigning) when threatened or startled. Hence the Blue Feigning Death Beetle.
BDFBs, Absolus verrucosus, are a species of darkling beetle endemic to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Easy to care for BFDBs make entertaining pet invertebrates or can be used as part of an arid bioactive clean up crew, given other inhabitants won't prey on them. These beetles are a fantastic option for keeping in colonies and provide much enjoyment with their antics.
The blue color on the beetles carapace is a wax used to seal in moisture in the hot Sonoran and Mojave deserts. This wax can be worn off through handling or when humidity is too high. During transport the blue wax may wear off and the beetle may present as black. It should come back within a few days.
BDFBs can eat a variety of food sources. In the wild they are primarily detritivores but in captivity they enjoy carrots, yams, squash, dried shrimp, dried insects and fish foods. We have found that they are huge fans of Repashy Morning Wood and Bug Burger.
The vast majority of BDFBs are wildcaught, including those available at Frontier Exotics, and captive breeding efforts are underway.