While the odd Beatle has been known to get drunk, generally beetles are tee-totallers. But not the cetonia beetles of Northern Africa. These inch long bugs have a particular penchant for eating rotten fruits which have been partially fermented. Fermentation is a process by which carbohydrates are converted into alcohol by the action of yeast. Apparently the alcohol has quite an effect on the beetles. They exhibit standard drunken behavior, including staggering and getting into brawls. Cetonia beetles have become a collectors’ item, with at least one British pet store specializing in their sale. How do they get them? From trappers who catch the little beasts in banana-stuffed stockings soaked in beer. Nobody knows whether the cetonia beetles suffer from hangovers.
