Jewel Beetle (Metallic)
About the Jewel Beetle (Metallic)
Their metallic colors are produced by photonic crystal structures in their exoskeleton, not pigment - the same technology used in anti-counterfeit banknotes. Some species can detect forest fires from 80 km away using infrared sensors. Over 15,000 species make it one of the largest beetle families. The largest (Megaloxantha bicolor) reaches 8 cm. The Greeks used their wing cases as decoration 4,000 years ago. Their colors never fade because they are structural, not pigment-based. Their larvae bore into wood and can take years to develop. They are found on every continent.
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