They can extract water from the food they eat and from the air around them through their butts.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Edinburgh identified a gene expressed 60 times more in the rectums of beetles, leading them to leptophragmata cells.
The study sheds new light on the molecular mechanisms that allow beetles to absorb water rectally.
Beetles are particularly destructive to food security, invading about 25% of the global food supply every year.
They can survive in arid environments, including granaries and processed products such as pasta.
Poor or developing countries may not have access to pesticides to combat beetle infestations.
The research could lead to the development of more targeted and eco-friendly pesticides that disrupt beetle hydration mechanisms without harming other beneficial insects.