Eenie's Beetle Friend of the Month by Benedict Pollard

Resin Weevil
Platyrhinus resinosus

This large beetle is found across the whole of Europe north to the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia, northwest Africa, Iran, Israel, Ukraine, and east into western Siberia (Russia).

​It is usually hibernating at this time of year (sleeping through the cold months of the winter) and can sometimes be found resting underneath the bark on very old trees. If you find a large stack of old logs, you might be lucky enough to find some there.
We love this beetle, as it is a master of camouflage. Even though the adults may be active in the autumn, they are very hard to spot because they look like bird droppings, and also have the same mix of colours as old decaying fungal wood.

Isn’t it amazing that its colours match the dark fungus almost perfectly, and its ‘rear end’ has exactly the same colour as the worn away / nibbled ends of the fungus.

It is known to feed on fungi, so perhaps it even nibbles these fungi itself so it can blend in to its surroundings, and become ‘invisible’ to the watchful eyes of any hungry birds.