Jul 2
#3810 - Pimelia indica
"Oily one from India".
Photos by Pauli Kidd, when she was in the Thar Desert in Northern India late in 2024. In fact, that part of the world is the only place the beetle is known from.
Pimelia Darkling Beetles are most found in sandy deserts, and are active in the mornings and evenings, burrowing into the dunes to avoid the heat of the day. They feed on dead and dying material, and have waterproof exoskeletons, spiracles that open into the space under their wing covers rather than into the open air, and fused elytra to reduce water loss.
Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India.
