From Wikimalia
| The Bug Collection
|
|
|
|
|
| Spiny Lekleklek
|
| Habitat: | Katavyan jungles.
|
| Description: | This flightless pseudo-beetle is less than a thum long, yellowish-green, and extremely fast on its feet. Short single-jointed legs propel it forward over almost all obstacles, and it is capable of changing direction instantly. Its head is small compared to its rounded body, but it displays behaviors that make it one of the insect world's geniuses of problem-solving and danger evasion. When threatened, it will lift its rear like a stenchbug, and often will flip over and feign death. When overtly molested or confronted with a predator that is not discouraged by such antics, it will tuck its legs beneath its carapace and fasten securely to the ground below it, making it extremely difficult to pry loose.
The legs, antennae and segment joints of the lekleklek are bordered with tiny hard spines, which it will bring to bear if accosted.
|
| Notes: | Named the lekleklek for its distinctive mating call, which is produced by stroking its spines with its legs, this insect's males die shortly after mating. It lays surprisingly few eggs per mating, perhaps one or two dozen at most---a testament to the survivability of its offspring. The eggs are the size of a pinhead, dark gray, and as hard as grains of sand.
Their diet is a mixture of detritus, fresh vegetation and insect eggs.
|
|
Caution should be used in handling the lekleklek, as its spines, while short, are very sharp, and it will vibrate violently when lifted from the ground, in an attempt to drive the spines deep into its attacker.
This article is a stub. You can help Wikimalia by expanding it.
Back to the Insect/Arachnid page.
