# Forked Fungus Beetle (*Bolitotherus cornutus*) The Forked Fungus Beetle is a small insect that loves to munch on mushrooms! It has unique forked horns that make it look very special. These beetles are often found in damp, wooded areas. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Forked Fungus Beetle](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/4733678/medium.jpg) Photo: Ken-ichi Ueda, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/4733678) ## Appearance The Forked Fungus Beetle has a rugged, dark brown to black body covered in a bumpy texture. Males are distinct with two prominent, forward-pointing 'horns' on their head, resembling tiny antlers. Its overall shape is oval and flattened. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Tenebrionidae - **Genus:** Gnatocerus ## Interesting facts - A male beetle's impressive horns can be almost as long as its entire body! - Their larvae tunnel deep inside mushrooms and fungi for weeks, munching away! - These beetles can live for over a year, spending most of it hidden within a fungus! - When threatened, these beetles often play dead, freezing perfectly still until danger passes! ## Special abilities - **Antlered Combat:** Forked Fungus Beetle males can use their distinctive 'horns' to wrestle rival males, showing off their strength. - **Fungal Navigator:** Forked Fungus Beetle can expertly locate wood-decaying fungi by smell, helping them find food and shelter. - **Hardened Hide:** Forked Fungus Beetle has a tough, bumpy exoskeleton that helps them blend in and protects them from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 10-22 mm - **Size:** 5-11 mm - **Lifespan:** 90-270 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These beetles munch on various fungi and mushrooms found on dead or decaying wood. - **Age differences:** Larvae and adults both feed on fungi, with larvae living entirely within the fungal host. - **Primary Foods:** Bracket fungi, Polypore mushrooms, Wood-decaying fungi, Mushrooms - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Dryad's Saddle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dryad-s-saddle) (*Polyporus squamosus*) — They feed on the fruiting bodies of this shelf fungus. - **Eats:** Artist's Conk (*Ganoderma applanatum*) — Both larvae and adults consume its hard woody tissues. - **Eaten by:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — Jays can spot these beetles on bark and snatch them up. - **Eaten by:** [White-footed Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-footed-mouse) (*Peromyscus leucopus*) — These small mammals will prey on beetles they discover. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Horned](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/horned): Characterized by having one or more hard, permanent, pointed projections on the head. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's best to look at beetles from a distance and not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Forked Fungus Beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Forked Fungus Beetle's wingspan? 10-22 mm ### How big is Forked Fungus Beetle? 5-11 mm ### How long does Forked Fungus Beetle live? 90-270 days ### What does Forked Fungus Beetle eat? These beetles munch on various fungi and mushrooms found on dead or decaying wood. ### Where is Forked Fungus Beetle usually found? Forests ### How does Forked Fungus Beetle hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Forked Fungus Beetle have? 6 ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Forked Fungus Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/forked-fungus-beetle)