A bessbug is a very large beetle, approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) long, that is found in the Eastern United States and Canada. It feeds on rotting wood and has a "horn" on the dorsal head. They are highly subsocial beetles and are known to care for their young; they prepare food for them and help the larvae construct the pupal case. In addition, they are also able to produce fourteen acoustical signals, more than many vertebrates.
