: Many species have striking "warning" colors, often featuring a reddish or orange head and limbs with dark blue or black wing covers (elytra).
: Typically small, ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 centimeters (about the size of a fingernail). bombardier beetle
The beetle's "bomb" is a marvel of biological engineering, involving a sophisticated internal network of reservoirs and chambers. : Many species have striking "warning" colors, often
Bombardier beetles belong to the family . While appearances vary across the 500+ species, they share several common physical characteristics: they share several common physical characteristics: