Beetle larvae protect themselves from predators by producing a deadly toxin after feeding on Commiphora tree.

“In Namibia the Commiphora tree is the host plant of the leaf beetle. When its larvae feed on the leaves, they produce a toxin not found in adults, which a Kalahari Desert bushman squeezes onto an arrow tip. The poison on a single arrow can fell an adult antelope.” (Chadwick 1998:114)

Last Updated August 18, 2016