secret stash

Look: Beetles carry bacteria in little pockets on their back for an important reason

One heck of a family heirloom.

by Jennifer Walter
Lagria hirta on stem, macro photo
Shutterstock

Shutterstock

Imagine if your family’s most treasured heirloom was a bunch of bacteria.

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That’s the case for Lagria beetles, who have a symbiotic relationship with the bacteria that live in their bodies.

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