SPITFIRE BEETLE - Four fab beetles

That's four beetles, not four Beatles. On his own, the Spitfire beetle is a loser. He’ll go hungry, too. But in fours, these brightly coloured insects are deadly hunters.

First, a group of four have to go head-to–head. With their wing covers spread like petals, they look like a flower - the flower of a Spitfire Tree. Their heads look like the flower’s centre too - very attractive if you are a Spitfire Bird.

And here comes a Spitfire Bird now, collecting chemicals from the true flowers. The beetle quartet looks just like any other flower. The bird hovers close, and – oh, too late! (Spitfire Bird’s memo to self: ‘Not all that looks like a flower IS a flower’).

The Spitfire Beetles have strong hind limbs that propel them into the air. Their hooked forelegs hook into the bird’s body. In moments the Spitfire Bird is dead – prey to four bright (and brightly coloured) beetles.