{"id":114705,"date":"2023-07-26T04:23:01","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T10:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=114705"},"modified":"2023-07-26T04:25:34","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T10:25:34","slug":"horned-passalus-beetle-photos-from-oklahoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/07\/26\/horned-passalus-beetle-photos-from-oklahoma\/","title":{"rendered":"Horned Passalus Beetle Photos From Oklahoma"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m focusing on beetles this morning. More precisely, I’m sharing Horned Passalus Beetle photos that I took at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge<\/span><\/a> in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n

\"HornedHorned Passalus Beetle at Sequoyah NWR \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 3200, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Adult Horned Passalus Beetles are shiny black with a series of grooves running the length of the wing covers and a short horn on the front of the head between the eyes.<\/p>\n

Horned Passalus Beetles are large beetles, they are about an inch and a half long. They are also called bess beetles, Betsey Beetles and Patent-leather Beetles.<\/p>\n

\"HornedHorned Passalus Beetle crawling down a fallen log \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 3200, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The Horned Passalus Beetles that I photographed at the refuge were found on fallen, decaying logs next to the roads. Wood is a significant part of their diet, and they are considered vitally beneficial because they aid in decomposition.<\/p>\n

\"HornedHorned Passalus Beetle in Oklahoma \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 4000, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I enjoyed watching these large, shiny beetles through my viewfinder as they crawled around on the logs while I photographed them.<\/p>\n

\"HornedHorned Passalus Beetle searching for food \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/800, ISO 640, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This last Horned Passalus Beetle photo was taken two days after the first three images on a brighter and sunnier morning. The refuge has a large number of fallen trees where these beetles can be found.<\/p>\n

Info about Horned Passalus Beetles:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Horned Passalus Beetles are one of the few species of beetles that exhibit true social behavior. They live in cooperative family groups inside the decaying logs they inhabit. Adult beetles actively care for their offspring, which is a rare behavior in the insect world. They construct chambers and tunnels within the decaying wood to create a protected environment for their eggs and larvae. The family group includes adult beetles, larvae, and pupae, all living together and collaborating for survival.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my insect and spider photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m focusing on beetles this morning. More precisely, I’m sharing Horned Passalus Beetle photos that I took at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":114686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14205,13973,13974],"tags":[4004,11863,13021,14210,14211,13985,13984,11989,14209,14087,1130,14207,1799,4962,14206,14212,6620,165,4427,8594],"class_list":["post-114705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-horned-passalus-beetles","category-oklahoma","category-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-adult","tag-beetle","tag-beetles","tag-bess-beetles","tag-betsey-beetles","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forests","tag-bottomlands","tag-crawling","tag-decaying","tag-fallen","tag-food","tag-horned-passalus-beetle","tag-insects","tag-log","tag-odontotaenius-disjunctus","tag-patent-leather-beetles","tag-searching","tag-spring","tag-tree","tag-wood"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Horned-Passalus-Beetle-Sequoyah-NWR-mia-mcpherson-1418.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-tQ5","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":105277,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/08\/21\/common-sunflower-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":114705,"position":0},"title":"Common Sunflower Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I wanted to share my recent Common Sunflower photos from Bear River MBR and some of the insects that pollinate these native wildflowers.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Common Sunflower, Blister Beetle, two flies and a bee, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/common-sunflower-blister-beetle-bee-and-flies-mia-mcpherson-3733.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/common-sunflower-blister-beetle-bee-and-flies-mia-mcpherson-3733.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/common-sunflower-blister-beetle-bee-and-flies-mia-mcpherson-3733.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/common-sunflower-blister-beetle-bee-and-flies-mia-mcpherson-3733.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":103751,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/01\/ornate-checkered-beetle-in-sticky-purple-geraniums\/","url_meta":{"origin":114705,"position":1},"title":"Ornate Checkered Beetle In Sticky Purple Geraniums","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"When my trips to the field are slow bird-wise there is always something else to focus on. Earlier this week it was an Ornate Checkered Beetle on Sticky Purple Geraniums.","rel":"","context":"In "Ornate Checkered Beetles"","block_context":{"text":"Ornate Checkered Beetles","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/ornate-checkered-beetles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ornate Checkered Beetle on Sticky Purple Geranium, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sticky-purple-geranium-ornate-checkered-beetle-mia-mcpherson-2176.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sticky-purple-geranium-ornate-checkered-beetle-mia-mcpherson-2176.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sticky-purple-geranium-ornate-checkered-beetle-mia-mcpherson-2176.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/robber-flies-mating-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-7427.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/robber-flies-mating-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-7427.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/robber-flies-mating-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-7427.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/robber-flies-mating-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-7427.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":141289,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/03\/07\/nearly-hidden-great-horned-owl-at-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":114705,"position":3},"title":"Nearly Hidden Great Horned Owl At Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Late last month, while at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, I spotted a nearly hidden Great Horned Owl perched in a tangle of branches in the woods.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Great Horned Owl nearly hidden at 100mm, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/great-horned-owl-hidden-mia-mcpherson-6173.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/great-horned-owl-hidden-mia-mcpherson-6173.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":127064,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/04\/03\/save-owls-by-not-using-rodent-poisons\/","url_meta":{"origin":114705,"position":5},"title":"Save Owls By Not Using Rodent Poisons","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Since spring's arrival, people will be spending time outdoors, and more people will be seeing rats in their yards and gardens. Owls eat rats and other rodents.","rel":"","context":"In "Barred Owls"","block_context":{"text":"Barred Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barred-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Barred Owl fledgling in a willow tree, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/barred-owl-chick-in-willow-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/barred-owl-chick-in-willow-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/barred-owl-chick-in-willow-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/barred-owl-chick-in-willow-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114705"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114705\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}