What tiny insect carries a boiling hot chemical cannon inside its body and can survive being swallowed by a toad?

Meet the bombardier beetle - one of the most extraordinary little creatures on Earth!

In The Extraordinary Bombardier Beetle, young readers will explore the underground world of a tiny insect with a built-in defense system like no other. This beetle mixes two harmless chemicals in a special reaction chamber to create a boiling hot, toxic spray that fires at 212 degrees Fahrenheit with a loud pop and a puff of smoke.

Inside this book, readers will learn:

• How the bombardier beetle creates boiling hot spray inside its own body without hurting itself
• Why the spray fires in 500 rapid pulses per second like a tiny machine gun
• How scientists discovered that swallowed beetles can spray their way out of a toad's stomach
• What bombardier beetle larvae do that is sneaky and surprising
• How engineers are copying the beetle's design to build better technology

Packed with fun facts, a glossary, quiz questions, and hands-on activities, this chapter book makes learning about the bombardier beetle an adventure.

Written at a second-grade reading level. Perfect for young readers ages 7-9.

Book 6 in the Chapter Books for Young Explorers series.