About 50 - 60 of the 77 individuals I "rescued" from beneath the bark of a large dead deciduous tree slated for removal. I turned them loose after their photo shoot and hope they'll find new homes in the woods.

It's been my experience that A. pennsylvanica hides under loose *dry* bark by day -- often several together -- and shuns moist locations on a tree or log. I kept these for several days in a plastic container that contained rotting wood. With a spray bottle of water I dampened the entire container, and it dried out first near the screened opening I made in the lid. That's where most of the beetles were massed.

At night, I've found A. pennsylvanica by flashlight, roaming on log surfaces. As with many tenebrionids (darkling beetles) this species has chemical defenses. The odor is not too bad, but try licking your fingers after one of these beetles gets disturbed in your hand. Your tongue will sting! This is personal experience speaking!