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To take aim, the beetle swivels its abdomen from side to side and fires straight at an attacking insect or frog. The attacker is left with a nasty taste in the mouth and even minor burns.
The beetle's body manufactures and stores the chemical ingredients needed for the volleys. When a bombardier beetle is under stress, the liquid chemicals are forced out of cavities in its body into a thick-walled, heat-resistant 'explosion chamber' in its abdomen. Here, a rapid chemical reaction takes place that turns the liquids into gases and water. As pressure builds up in the chamber, the bubbling chemicals squirt out in a series of rapid bursts.
(Image Source: badassanimals.tumblr.com)
(Image Source: badassanimals.tumblr.com)
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