what are the characteristics of a beetle

Characteristics Of Beetles.

• Invertebrate.
• Three pairs of jointed legs.
• Protective exoskeleton.
• Three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen)
• Single pair of compound eyes (some beetle species have additional simple eyes “ocelli” on the back of the head)
• Wing-cases (modified forewings)
• Either a single pair of wings, or no wings.
• Single pair of antennae.
• Undergo complete metamorphosis with four-stage development (egg, larva, pupa, adult)
• Mouthparts adapted for biting.

Full Answer

What are the types of beetles?

Results and discussion

• Pesticide residues. Insects were collected in Malaise traps during two-week intervals, where pesticide residues from insect bodies were dissolved in the ethanol that was used to preserve the collected samples.
• Seasonality of CUP exposure. ...
• Influence of surrounding agricultural production area. ...

What is the Order of the beetle?

Order Coleoptera - Beetles. This is the largest order in the class Insecta with over 250,000 described species. Obviously, with this many species, there is a wide range of diversity in this order with respect to size, morphological characters, biology, and behavior. However, the order is typically characterized by a pair of elytra (hardened ...

What are common house beetles?

The Basics

• Scientific Name: The most common North American species are in the genus Lucanus
• Size: Up to two inches in length
• Habitat: Larvae live in rotten wood; adults often fly to lights at night
• Range: Throughout the USA and southern Canada
• Notes: These beetles are harmless, although the females can deliver a pinch with their short, sharp mandibles.

What family is the beetle in?

The family Scarabaeidae is subdivided into a number of subfamily groups, including dung beetles, June beetles, rhinoceros beetles, flower beetles, and others. Darkling beetle. Darkling beetles can be easily misidentified as ground beetles, so examine the specimens you collect or photograph closely.

What abilities do beetles have?

Thick, hardened front wings, called elytra, cover most of the beetle's body and its back wings offer great protection. Some are able to trap moisture under their wings, helping them survive in deserts where water is scarce. Others can live underwater because they are able to trap air under the elytra.

What is a fun fact about beetles?

Beetle Facts for Kids Adult beetles have two sets of wings. Female beetles usually lay dozens or hundreds of eggs. Most beetles only live for a year. Beetles cannot see very well, so they communicate using pheromones, sounds or vibrations.

Can beetles fly?

Beetles may not look like superheroes, but they sure fly like them. Unlike other winged insects, beetles soar with their legs outstretched, a posture that helps them maneuver and turn, a new study finds.

Do beetles have teeth?

Nearly all adult beetles, and many beetle larvae, have mandibles. In general form they are similar to those of grasshoppers: hardened and tooth-like.

What are beetles mainly?

Beetle genera were mainly saprophages ( detritivores) in the Permian and Triassic. During the Jurassic, herbivorous and then carnivorous genera became more common. In the Cenozoic, genera at all three trophic levels became far more numerous.

What are the major impacts of beetles on human life?

However, the major impact of beetles on human life is as agricultural, forestry, and horticultural pests. Serious pests include the boll weevil of cotton, the Colorado potato beetle, the coconut hispine beetle, and the mountain pine beetle.

What was the diversity of beetles during the Jurassic period?

During the Jurassic ( 210 to 145 mya ), there was a dramatic increase in the diversity of beetle families, including the development and growth of carnivorous and herbivorous species . The Chrysomeloidea diversified around the same time, feeding on a wide array of plant hosts from cycads and conifers to angiosperms.

How many beetles did Wallace collect?

Beetle collecting became extremely popular in the Victorian era. The naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace collected (by his own count) a total of 83,200 beetles during the eight years described in his 1869 book The Malay Archipelago, including 2,000 species new to science.

How do beetles defend themselves?

Large ground-dwelling beetles such as Carabidae, the rhinoceros beetle and the longhorn beetles defend themselves using strong mandibles, or heavily sclerotised (armored) spines or horns to deter or fight off predators. Many species of weevil that feed out in the open on leaves of plants react to attack by employing a drop-off reflex. Some combine it with thanatosis, in which they close up their appendages and "play dead". The click beetles ( Elateridae) can suddenly catapult themselves out of danger by releasing the energy stored by a click mechanism, which consists of a stout spine on the prosternum and a matching groove in the mesosternum. Some species startle an attacker by producing sounds through a process known as stridulation.

What is the smallest free living insect?

The smallest recorded beetle and the smallest free-living insect (as of 2015. [update] ), is the featherwing beetle Scydosella musawasensis which may measure as little as 325 μm in length. Titan beetle, Titanus giganteus, a tropical longhorn, is one of the largest and heaviest insects in the world.

How many ganglia are in a beetle?

The nervous system in beetles contains all the types found in insects, varying between different species, from three thoracic and seven or eight abdominal ganglia which can be distinguished to that in which all the thoracic and abdominal ganglia are fused to form a composite structure.

What is the name of the beetle that covers the abdomen?

Elytra. Known as elytra, a beetle’s wing-cases provide a protective casing for the beetle’s single pair of wings. (Some beetles lack wings entirely.) The wing-cases often cover much of or all of the beetle’s abdomen, giving the beetle a shiny, smooth appearance. This tiger beetle’s “shell” is actually its wing cases.

What is the order of beetles?

What Type Of Insect Is A Beetle? Beetles make up the order Coleoptera. Containing around 400,000 species, Coleoptera represents around 40% of all insects, and an amazing 25% of all known animals.

What is the largest group of insects?

Beetles make up the order Coleoptera, the largest insect group; there are more beetles than any other type of insect. Around 40% of all insects are beetles, and one in four of all known animals is a beetle. On this page we take a look at what makes a beetle a beetle, find out the characteristics of beetles, and discover some ...

How many species of ground beetles are there?

With around 40,000 species, the ground beetle family Carabidae is one of the larger beetle families. The elytra (wing-cases) of ground beetles are often brightly-colored and / or ridged. Ground beetles defend themselves by excreting noxious chemicals from special glands in the abdomen.

What do burying beetles eat?

Carrion Beetle / Burying Beetle. Family: Silphidae. The beetles in the family Silphidae live in carrion. The adults feed mainly on maggots (the larvae of flies) that also inhabit carrion, and lay their eggs in the carcass.

What is the name of the beetle that is red?

Beetles of the family Cantharidae are known as soldier beetles because the red color of one of the first species in the group to be named resembled the color of a British army uniform. Most soldier beetles are long, straight-sided beetles, with soft, leathery wing cases.

What is the largest insect in the world?

Some of the largest insects are scarab beetles. The family includes such giants as the rhinoceros, Hercules, and Goliath beetles. The family Scarabaeidae also includes the dung beetles, which feed on animal dung – an unpleasant sounding, but highly useful ecological role. Insects: The Ultimate Guide.

How long are beetles?

Some beetles are only about 0.01 inch (0.025 centimeter) long, whereas some tropical rhinoceros beetles and goliath beetles may reach lengths of 4 to nearly 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters). Stephen Dalton—NHPA/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Beetles display a remarkable array of colors, forms, and habits.

How many body segments does a beetle have?

Like other insects, beetles have three major body segments: the head, with a single pair of antennae and usually a pair of compound eyes; the thorax, which typically bears two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs; and the abdomen, where the reproductive and digestive organs are housed.

How do beetles protect themselves?

Although most beetles are protected by their heavy armor , some species have developed additional methods of defense. Some secrete or eject an obnoxious fluid. Blister beetles, for example, secrete an oily, blister-causing substance that deters predators. When disturbed, many species of weevils fall and pretend to be dead. Beetles may also discourage or avoid predators by making a startling noise ( see below, “ Light and Sound Production ”), biting, hiding (using their natural coloring as camouflage), or simply fleeing on foot or on wing.

What are beetles' jaws called?

Beetles have chewing jaws called mandibles and paired mouthparts known as maxillary and labial palpi (singular, palpus) that are used for feeding or handling food. The bodies of beetles and other insects are covered by a layer known as the cuticle.

What do beetles eat?

Most beetles feed on living or dead plant materials, but some are scavengers of dead animal matter and some prey on other insects, spiders, or other small animals, such as small fish, frogs, and snails. Some species feed on fungi. A few are parasites.

How many species of beetles are there?

Today, there are more than 350,000 known species of beetles in more than 130 families.

What is a tiger beetle?

Tiger beetles (family Cicindelidae) are fierce, long-legged, fast-running, fast-flying, often brightly colored beetles that capture and eat other insects. Species of tiger beetles occur throughout the world but are especially numerous in the tropics.

Where do beetles live?

Beetles are found on land and in fresh water and can adapt to almost any environment. Beetles usually just live where they eat. Beetles can both hurt and help the environment. Some beetle species destroy crops or property, while some species help get rid of garbage, eat dead trees or help pollinate flowers.

How many eggs do beetles lay?

Adult beetles have two sets of wings. Female beetles usually lay dozens or hundreds of eggs . Most beetles only live for a year. Beetles cannot see very well, so they communicate using pheromones, sounds or vibrations. Some beetles are not considered pests.

How long do merchant grain beetles live?

This body shape allows them to crawl into packaged foods to eat, live and reproduce. It only takes them about 3-4 weeks to grow from baby to adult and an adult Merchant Grain beetle can live up to 3 years.

How long does it take for carpet beetles to grow?

Varied carpet beetles get their name from the rainbow of color on their backs. It can take up to three years for them to grow from an egg to an adult. Adult beetles only live between 13 and 44 days!

How to protect clothes from beetles?

Since beetles are drawn to fibers, to protect your clothing keep your clothes off the floor, store un-used clothing in plastic bags or containers and dry clean clothing before storing it.

Do merchant beetles eat grain?

Merchant Grain beetles can be found all over the world and can live in cooler climates. Despite their name, these insects do not ear grain! Once confused with a kind of beetle that does eat grain, the Merchant beetle was scientifically re-categorized, but the name stuck.

Is a ladybug a pest?

Some beetles are not considered pests. "Ladybugs" are beetles and are considered to be good luck in many cultures. "Fireflies" and "Lightning bugs" are also beetles. They glow in the dark to communicate. There are 12,000 different kinds of beetles in the United States and over 300,000 species in the world.

How to tell what type of beetle you have?

Identifying beetles by their color, body shape, and other features can help to know which type of beetle you have. All types of beetle are anthropoids (phylum Arthropoda) that belong to the order Coleoptera. There are over 400,000 species of beetles that are divided into families and subgroups.

How big are beetles?

However, the average size of most beetles is under 1” (2.5 cm) long. Although many beetle species are black, beetles can be a range of colors from green to brown, red, or orange. Some of the most stunning varieties of beetles have iridescent coloring with shades of metallic colors.

What is a figeater beetle?

The figeater beetle ( Cotinis mutabilis) is a green-colored beetle that is commonly found in yards, compost heaps, and mulch. Belonging to the beetle family Scarabaeidae, “fig” beetles have a semi-glossy green shell with orange-colored edges. Turning the beetles over, you will notice striking metallic green belly and legs.

What is the smallest insect in the world?

The smallest species of beetle is also the smallest insect in the world. The Scydosella musawasensis beetle is less than 1 mm long! The largest beetle, the Titan beetle can grow to nearly 7” (17 cm)! However, the average size of most beetles is under 1” (2.5 cm) long.

What is the green June beetle?

The Green June Beetle is common in early summer and is similar to the figeater beetle. Another type of large green beetle is the green June beetle in the lower classification Scarabaeidae (scarab beetle). This beetle from the genus Cotinis is related to the figeater beetle with similar coloring to its cousin.

How many species of weevil beetles are there?

Species of weevil beetles belong to the lower group of beetles called Curculionidae which is the largest of the beetle families. There are over 83,000 species of weevil beetles. This particular species is small and has brownish or orange-colored legs and antennae of the same color.

What is the name of the beetle with white stripes on its back?

Ten-lined June Beetles (Brown Type of Beetle) The Ten-lined June beetle has white stripes on its brown body. June beetles belong to the family Scarabaeidae and there are a number of brown beetles in this category. As the name of this large beetle suggests, the identifying feature is white stripes on its back.

Overview

Distribution and diversity

Beetles are by far the largest order of insects: the roughly 400,000 species make up about 40% of all insect species so far described, and about 25% of all animals. A 2015 study provided four independent estimates of the total number of beetle species, giving a mean estimate of some 1.5 million with a "surprisingly narrow range" spanning all four estimates from a minimum of 0.9 to a maximum of 2.1 million beetle species. The four estimates made use of host-specificity relation…

Etymology

Evolution

Phylogeny

External morphology

Anatomy and physiology

Reproduction and development