Species: Diastocera wallichi toninensis
Location: San Francisco, 766 Valencia St.

Can you imagine having appendages sticking out of your head that are as long or longer than your whole body? For us, it would seem like a huge inconvenience, but to the Tonkin Long-Horn Beetle, they are absolutely essential. Quite literally. These big, impressive, wood-boring, metallic-sheen beetles not only look cool, they are genuinely fascinating creatures.

Let’s get back to those giant antennae sticking out of their heads. They are not just for decoration or some new fashion trend in the beetle world. They are how the Tonkin Long-Horn Beetle navigates its surroundings. With these impressive feelers, they can smell all sorts of things. Pheromones for finding a date and plant scents for locating food sources to take the date to. It’s like Grubhub and Tinder rolled into one app, mounted on their forehead.

The antennae can also sense vibrations and air currents, alerting the beetle to movement and potential predators that might ruin date night. On top of that, they can detect chemical cues to find dead or dying trees, which serve as the perfect five-star restaurant for their larvae. So yes, while these antennae would be annoying for us, say on a commercial flight, they are absolutely necessary for the Tonkin Long-Horn Beetle to find love and a decent meal.

You may have noticed the deep green metallic sheen of its exoskeleton. To us, it looks like magical fantasy armor straight out of a D&D game, and truth be told, that is not far off. The exoskeleton is not green in the conventional pigment sense. Its color comes from microscopic structures that reflect and refract light, a phenomenon called structural coloration. This makes the beetle appear shiny, iridescent, or even like it is changing color depending on the angle. Scientists believe this helps them blend into trees and foliage and can also startle predators. It is like looting a breastplate with “Stalk” and “Intimidate” enchantments. See? Not far off from magical armor.

We could go on and on about this beetle, because there is so much more to it. But that is why we have this class. Trust us when we say you do not want to miss it.

• Classes will be held at 766 Valencia St., San Francisco
• Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Cancellations must be made at least 72 hours before the class to receive store credit, redeemable for merchandise or future classes.