What kind of bug do you think this is?

What is special about it?

Where does it live?

This is a beetle, specifically, a Rhinastus sternicornis! This beetle is interesting because it has a long curved "beak". Rhinastus sternicornus is a type of weevil, a sub-class of beetle which feeds on vegetation (sternicornis eats mainly bamboo), and are often considered pests.

Rhinastus sternicornis are known to live and thrive in South America, particularly Brazil, Peru, and Argentina.

For more information, visit:

• This artifact in the Karshner Digital Collections
• Artifact Worksheets you can use in your classroom or for homeschool
• What Are Beetles?
• Beetles (Coleoptera) [Smithsonian]
• Beetles of the World