Bess Beetle

Patent Leather Beetle, Passalidae

Bess Beetles, or Patent Leather Beetles, are common names for the diverse Passalidae family of beetles found mostly in the tropics. Of the over 500 names species, only two are found within North America. These are large beetles ranging from 20 mm to 70 mm long most often found in rotting wood. There they live in subsocial, or family, groups in galleries excavated by the adults. While the common name Patent Leather Beetle is in reference to the shiny leather-like shell, the common name Bess Beetle is from the sound these beetles make. From the French word baiser, to kiss, this beetle makes a squeaking noise when handle that has been described as a kissing sound.