Below are some insect video clips I shot in Barro Colorado Island, Panama. You need Windows Media Player 8 or higher to view them.  If the clips do not work when you click on the hyperlink, try Shift + click (will open in a different window).  All video clips and images Copyright © 2004 by S. Chatzimanolis. Please use only with permission.

Beetles (Coleoptera)

Nordus fungicola (Sharp) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Xanthopygina) is a rove beetle (Staphylinidae) distributed in Central and South America.  For a paper (in pdf format) dealing with aspects of the natural history and behavior of these fascinating beetles, click here.

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Grooming behavior.

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Movement of the abdomen.

(2.96 MB)
A male beetle eating a fly larva.

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(3.26 MB) Mating behavior.

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Wing folding (mating event).

(1.28 MB)  Defensive behavior against an Ectatomma ant.

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(2.56 MB)  Interactions of beetles on rotting Gustavia superba fruits.

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Unidentified flies mating.
If you know the genus or species name please e-mail me.