BUG THAT CUTS METAL

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 13, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 32.

BUG THAT CUTS METAL.

The Zopherus melicanus is the only known species of American beetle that has strength enough in its mandibles to cut metal. This curious faculty of the zopherus was accidentally discovered by F. W. Devoe, a member of the New York Microscopical Society. A friend had sent Mr. Devoe some specimens of this queer species of bug from the northern states of South America.

The microscopist was busily engaged when the insects arrived, and simply provided temporary quarters for the creatures in a glass jar having a metal top, in which the porcelain cap was wanting. Within less than forty-eight hours they had cut holes in the metal sufficient to get their heads through, and would soon have escaped had their operations remained undetected. By careful experiments Mr. Devoe found that the force necessary to do such cutting was equal to 369 grams, the power exercised by this brass cutter.—St. Louis Republic.