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Business News›Prime›Environment›Cars catching fire? Blame it on the boozy beetles. The bug sups ethanol and perishes on petrol.
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Cars catching fire? Blame it on the boozy beetles. The bug sups ethanol and perishes on petrol.

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Cars catching fire? Blame it on the boozy beetles. The bug sups ethanol and perishes on petrol.
Cars catching fire? Blame it on the boozy beetles. The bug sups ethanol and perishes on petrol.
Beetles were collected from fuel pipes across multiple vehicle service centres in Kerala; image credit: Special Arrangement

Synopsis

A tipsy invasive insect species could be behind a spurt in incidents of vehicle fires. A scientific study in Kerala is underway to see if ethanol-blended fuels are attracting beetles who bore into fuel pipes, leading to fire incidents. Ethanol producers in India deny presence of any scientific evidence available globally. Mind you, there is a climate change angle as well.

Famous rock band — The Beatles — could not resist alcohol. In their song, Norwegian Wood, they crooned — "I sat on a rug. Biding my time. Drinking her wine". On their famous visit to Rishikesh ashram, in 1968, they even broke the ‘no alcohol’ rule. Their non-musical namesake, Beetle, the insect, is now under the scanner for sharing their love for alcohol, well almost. A tiny 2mm-2.5mm long deep reddish-brown coloured insect ambrosia beetle’s
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