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November 22, 2020
We're reaching into the archives for today's #BenInNature update! The following post was originally published on April 17, 2020.
With its brilliant purple elytra (the shell that covers the flight wings), this beetle almost looks like something you'd find in the tropics, but you can find them right out in the woods in southwest Virginia! According to Virginia Museum of Natural History Research Associate and Professional Beetle Expert Curt Harden, this fellow is Dicaelus purpuratus. It's active from the spring through the fall, and it likes to hide in leaf litter and under logs. These beetles are snail-eaters, and it's probably no coincidence that on the same day I found two of these beetles, I found a couple of empty snail shells not far away.
ABOUT #BenInNature
Social distancing can be difficult, but it presents a great opportunity to become reacquainted with nature. In this series of posts, Administrator of Science Ben Williams ventures outdoors to record a snapshot of the unique sights that can be found in the natural world. New updates are posted Monday - Friday, with previous posts highlighted on the weekends.
NEW: TRIVIA CHALLENGE
You've seen the posts. You've learned the facts. Now, it's time to prove you are a #BenInNature Mega Fan! The museum's education team has developed the #BenInNature Trivia Challenge to identify the most devoted fans out there! Everyone who successfully answers each trivia question correctly will be congratulated by having your own nature selfie posted to the museum's #BenInNature Mega Fan Photo Album on the official VMNH Facebook page! Learn more and download the trivia challenge today by visiting www.vmnh.net/research-collections/beninnature-trivia-challenge.
NATURE PHOTO IDENTIFICATIONS
If you discover something in nature that you would like help identifying, be sure to message us right here on Facebook with a picture (please include location and date of picture) and we'll have our experts help you identify it!
