Antifreeze
Guides
Meracantha contracta
Contracted Darkling Beetle
Meracantha contracta is a North American darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) distinguished by its strongly convex, humped body profile and association with decaying wood. Adults measure 11-14 mm and are bronze-black when mature. The species overwinters as larvae within rotting logs, producing antifreeze compounds to survive temperatures down to approximately -11°C. It has been recorded from at least Ontario, Canada, with broader distribution across North America.