By Alana Bailey

When you hear the word “toktokkie”, you may think of the game and mischief in your childhood, but it primarily refers to an interesting group of beetles.

Toktokkies, also known as tok-tok beetles, belong to the family Tenebrionidae. In South Africa alone, more than 3,500 species are found in the group. Although there is a lot of information available about the classification of toktokkies, little is known about their way of life.

They are easily identified by their heavy, rounded abdomens that allow them to drum by striking the ground with it. Allegedly, they drum to attract toktokkies of the opposite sex, but there are also claims that males use this ritual as part of a struggle for dominance in an area.

Plants and even animal matter are part of their diet. Dry habitats suit them well. Toktokkies move slowly and cannot fly, yet they do not seem to fall prey to other species. This begs the question, what do they use to scare off their enemies?

Hopefully, in the future, entomologists will pay more attention to these fascinating insects so that we will be able to learn more about the world of toktokkies.