Skip to main content
Close

Rainbow Scarab stuck on barbwire

Photo by Tom15
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

27.617, -81.0831

Field Notes

Notes:

This looks like the work of a Loggerhead Shrike. Shrikes are also know as butcher birds because of their habit of impaling small prey on thorns or barbed wire.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (9)

Thanks lauren. That's the first time I found a Rainbow Scarab, too bad there wasn't a male with the big horn there too:-)
That is so beautiful Dan! A female Dung Beetle. That bird had good taste…. literally and figuratively!
I just added a picture of the top side of the beetle that I pulled off the barb wire.
That's so cool! Out this way I know people who see hatchling horned lizards stuck to barbed wire. And I've seen photos of it too. Would much rather see an invertebrate, but as long as the bird comes back to eat it I can't complain too much about the lizards :)
Lauren, once I get to the bug photos I took, I'll post a picture of this scarab.
Thanks Ashley and kd. There were 3 beetles stuck on the barb wire in a 10 meter stretch. I collected 2 of them to photograph, and I was amazed at how precisely the shrike skewered the beetles. It took a little effort to get the beetles off the wire and the hole in the beetle was perfect.
Amazing! Such Dinosaurian behavior. What did the other side of the beetle look like?
Great shot! I've seen Butcherbirds & other species in Australia stick their prey on barbed wire, sometimes to help tear it apart & other times to store it for later. Looks like the spider has helped itself to a meal as there's web around the beetle as well.
So cool, I always look for stuff like this when I'm in areas with shrikes but I haven't seen anything yet!
Photographed
PublishedApril 13, 2014

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon