…Scientists have long known that beetles can survive in extremely dry conditions — thanks to their unusual ability to suck water from the air through their rear ends. Now Veland Halberg and colleagues from Copenhagen and Edinburgh have figured out exactly how they do that… Because beetles are able to survive in extremely dry conditions, they’re difficult to control. Understanding how to interrupt their hydration on a molecular level could be the key, said Veland Halberg. He studied the inner workings of the red flour beetle to figure out how they are sometimes able to go their entire lives without drinking water but stay hydrated. The answer lies in the design of the beetle’s butt. Like other animals and insects, the beetle rectum absorbs remaining nutrients and water from bodily waste before it is expelled. But beetles do it better. As a result, beetle feces is practically bone-dry.