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grey and white and black!
Thu, May 7, 2009 at 7:56 PM
I live in Central Florida, and was walking into a burger king in New symrna beach florida (central east coast) and i looked down and spotted this bug looking right back at me. went in to use the bathroom and came back and he was still there, in the same spot
April Diamond
Florida, US

Eyed Elater

Hi April,
Your letter is so amusing.  This Eyed Elater was not really looking back at you.  It just appears to be looking back at you.  What you think are eyes are just eyespots.  These eyespots help to discourage predators, especially birds.  The birds see the large “eyes” and think a far larger creature is at hand, possibly a snake.  Eyed Elaters are Click Beetles that can right themselves if they are on their back by snapping their bodies, propelling themselves into the air, and flipping to land right side up.

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