Drunken beetles in damp places - Amoeba needs help

[Deb London]

Posted on behalf of Amoeba, in parts due to technical hitch:

"Okay, I don't know what species this is but it's a very common little black beetle in houses. Small and simple, less than a centimetre in length and with small white spots on its face.

[Deb London]

A couple of years back I was in someone's house and we kept hearing this clicking sound. The only way I can describe it is this:

Take a tiny metal ball (no more than a few millimetres in diameter) and drop it from a couple of centimetres onto a glass surface and hear the rapid tap sound it makes as it bounces to a stop on the surface. It'll get faster the closer it comes to stopping bouncing. It sounded JUST like that.

[Deb London]

After very careful and patient searching we found what it was. One of these tiny black beetles on its back, on the floor writing. I picked it up and tried putting it on its front, but it drunkenly stumbled back onto its back and continued writing. After this I just put it outside.

Over the past few years I have encountered this again, same or similar very common species (particularly common in old damp houses and especially in old flats). Always seems the beetle is "drunk" or dying.

Any ideas?"

[theresa dockery]

Sounds like it could be a species of Deathwatch Beetle (family Anobiidae).

[Kayleigh]

Do you get the feeling your alone..

Sorry dont know what your beetle or should I say Amoeba's is..

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Deb London

.......Take a tiny metal ball (no more than a few millimetres in diameter) and drop it from a couple of centimetres onto a glass surface and hear the rapid tap sound it makes as it bounces to a stop on the surface. It'll get faster the closer it comes to stopping bouncing. It sounded JUST like that.

Perhaps it is bouncing - drpping out of a hole/tunnel in the woodwork?

"Keep your hemp and your mushrooms
Your smack and Nembutal
Me, I’m into fruit and grains
Gimme alcohol"
Loudon Wainwright III Wine with Dinner

[Amoeba]

Deb London: Thank you very much for posting this for me. I wouldn't have guessed to try posting it in parts, good thinking.

theresa dockery: It would seem deathwatch beetles are very varied, so it's quite possible thanks for the suggestion. In appearance it does look as if it could potentially be one of those.

Paul mabbott: Well it was making that sound while it was writhing in my hand, whether it was coming from the legs, mouthparts, wing case I have no idea. But I couldn't shake off the feeling that it was in some kind of pain, confusion or distress. I still get this haunting feeling whenever I hear it or remember it.

Does anybody know any likely reasons for this behaviour, and possibly and clues as to the source of the clicking? Whever it made the sound its whole body vibrated but only slightly.

[The Woodman]

Originally Posted by Deb London

A couple of years back I was in someone's house and we kept hearing this clicking sound. The only way I can describe it is this:

Take a tiny metal ball (no more than a few millimetres in diameter) and drop it from a couple of centimetres onto a glass surface and hear the rapid tap sound it makes as it bounces to a stop on the surface. It'll get faster the closer it comes to stopping bouncing. It sounded JUST like that.

There's a nice story and a recording of death watch beetle at 11 minutes into this RTE programme of 1st August 2006.....RTÉ.ie Radio1: Sound Stories

What was it writing whilst it was on its back on the floor?

[loripo]

Try this week's Autumnwatch sound quiz - third item...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/xexexexex...-october.shtml

[The Woodman]

I'm getting a 404 on that link Loripo.