Subject: Cat vs. Beetle
Location: Grand Prairie, Tx
November 11, 2013 3:01 pm
I let my cat on my balcony and she darted toward this oddly colored beetle. I didn’t want her to eat it so I presumed to spat her and she ran hyper-salivating at her mouth. I freaked, so I called the vet, which got me no where. They said to google the bug and I landed here. I was wondering what kind of beetle it is and what defense mechanism does it have against animals?
Signature: Robin W
Hi Robin,
This is a Rough Stink Bug or Tree Stink Bug in the genus Brochymena, and like other Stink Bugs, it is able to produce a foul odor as a defense mechanism. We imagine that the foul odor might also have a foul taste, and we believe that caused the reaction in your cat, but we do not believe there will be any lasting harm. See BugGuide for more information on the Tree Stink Bugs.