deathwatch beetle
noun
: any of various small beetles (family Anobiidae, especially Xestobium rufovillosum) that bore in seasoned or dead wood (as of old buildings) and make a tapping noise as a mating call
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Termites also bored through decks and masts and cabin doors, as did deathwatch beetles.
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David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023
David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023
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“Deathwatch beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deathwatch%20beetle. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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