What Kind of Beetle?

Observation: I found this bright little beetle in the middle of my kitchen. I have never seen a beetle this color before. It was about a 1/4 of an inch long and bright red or burgundy. This is the only one I have seen. I don't know if it came in with the groceries or mail or some other way. I don't like killing bugs (when I don't have too), so I put it outside.

LEO says: The UAF Cooperative Extension Service has been notified of this posted observation. LEO says, the insect looks similar to the Red Flat Bark Beetle (Cucujus clavipes). Larvae of red flat bark beetles "survive temperatures as low as –150°C by transforming their supercooled body fluids into a viscous glass." "Larvae of the freeze-avoiding beetle Cucujus clavipes puniceus (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) in Alaska have mean supercooling points in winter of –35 to –42°C, with the lowest supercooling point recorded for an individual of –58°C. We previously noted that some larvae did not freeze when cooled to –80°C, and we speculated that these larvae vitrified. Here we present evidence through differential scanning calorimetry that C. c. puniceus larvae transition into a glass-like state at temperatures <–58°C and can avoid freezing to at least –150°C. This novel finding adds vitrification to the list of insect overwintering strategies. While overwintering beneath the bark of fallen trees, C. c. puniceus larvae may experience low ambient temperatures of around –40°C (and lower) when microhabitat is un-insulated because of low snow cover…Finally, we provide direct evidence that Cucujus from Wiseman, Alaska, survive temperatures to –100°C." (Sformo et al. 2010:502). Source: iNaturalist.org

Media:

Juneau Empire – (March 18, 2007) Deep freezers: The cool and the supercool survive Alaska's subzero winters, "Surviving Alaska's subzero winters requires some special adaptations. The red flat bark beetle, Cucujus clavipes, is adapted to avoid freezing. It survives by supercooling, or lowering the freezing point of its body fluids." By ELIZABETH MANNING and RILEY WOODFORD, For the Empire

Alaska Dispatch News – (March 22, 2013) Alaska beetle scoffs at cold, toughest creature in Alaska, Cold-resistant beetle - When Todd Sformo "was at UAF, he found that Alaska's red flat bark beetle does not perish until the temperature drops to minus-238 degrees Fahrenheit. Given that the coldest temperature recorded on this planet is minus-129 degrees in Antarctica, the red flat bark beetle is perhaps the hardiest creature in Alaska." Author: Ned Rozell