Bess Beetle
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Bess Beetles (family Passalidae), primarily a tropical family, are represented in the United States by four different species.
Known mostly for their large size, (one and one-half inch body length), they are considered social insects that live and breed in downed trees.
The picture shows Odontotaenius disjunctus, complete with its shiny black body, horn and brown legs. It is the most common species, found in forest and woodland areas throughout much of the eastern half of the United States.
© 2009 Patricia A. Michaels