XSworld

By XSworld

Not a jump master..

..as might be deduced from the huge thigh of the hind leg of the male flower beetle -giving rise to its common name "thick-legged" or "swollen thigh" beetle.
We know this because a Cambridge scientist lost sleep over the question (who doesn't) and used high speed videography to compare the take-off movement of males vs females to test the hypothesis that enlarged hind femora of males play a role in propelling take-off. There was only a minimal difference!

The article he wrote on his research is a detailed testimony to his dedication to the subject -I would say stubborness also! You see an insect with big thighs, the question arises and you just don't relax until you've spent years of your live trying to resolve the mistery!

And if you are still reading, his results indicate that the "huge expansion of the male hind femora is to accomodate more muscle that enables particularly strong actions of the hind legs in grasping females to ensure reproductive success".

Don't you just love science?

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