Beetles (Coleoptera)
Coleoptera is the largest orders of insects, comprising well over 300,00 species world-wide with approx. 20,00 species in Europe.
The Order comprises species 12cm long to many under 0.5mm long. Beetles are easily recognised in that their forewings are made of hard, horny material (known as the elytra) which usually cover the entire abdomen and meet neatly in the centre to form what appears to be a solid shell. Only the Rove beetles do not have this characteristic. The beetles are all equiped with biting jaws. Beetle hind wings are membranous and neatly folded under the elytra when at rest.
They have well developed compound eyes and antennae. The structure of the antennae is useful in identifying the families and species.
Small, domed and usually hemispherical although some species are oblong. The head is sunk into the pronotum. Legs are short and retractable.
These insects are distastful and usually bright coloured as a warning to would-be predators. The actual colour pattern is extremely variable and counting the number of spots is not a sure guide to the species!
Most adults and larvae are carnivorous. The larvae pupates openly on plants.
A family of more than 20,000 species world-wide. Most have very long antennae protruding from prominent tubercles. Within each species, the males usually have longer antenna than the females.
The adults feed on flowers (particularly the pollen) and leaves. The larvae feed on living or decaying wood.
A family of more than 20,000 species world-wide. Most have very long antennae protruding from prominent tubercles. Within each species, the males usually have longer antenna than the females.
The adults feed on flowers (particularly the pollen) and leaves. The larvae feed on living or decaying wood.
This section includes a number of families until enough images are available to create new sctions.
This family of beetles is characterised by an unusual click mechanism on the underside of the body and their common name is derived from this. The clicking is achieved by snapping a spine on the prosternum into a corresponding notch in the mesoternum which, when activated, bounces the beetle into the air. Useful to evade predators or even to right itself if up-ended.
The family Silphidae belongs to the order Coleoptera. They are commonly referred to as carrion beetles or burying beetles and are usually associated with carrion, fungi, and dung.
This family has two main sub-families, Silphinae and Nicrophorinae. The sub-families are divided primarily on behavioral foundations. Members of the sub-family Silphinae show little to no care for their young and breed on large carrion. Nicrophorinae breed on small carrion and will bury themselves and their food to rear their offspring in a bi-parental manner.
Scarabs are stout-bodied beetles, many with bright metallic colors, measuring between 1.5 and 160 mm. They have distinctive, clubbed antennae composed of plates called lamellae that can be compressed into a ball or fanned out like leaves to sense odors. The front legs of many species are broad and adapted for digging.
The C-shaped larvae, called grubs, are pale yellow or white. Most adult beetles are nocturnal, although the flower chafers (Cetoniinae) and many leaf chafers (Rutelinae) are active during the day. The grubs mostly live underground or under debris, so are not exposed to sunlight. Many scarabs are scavengers that recycle dung, carrion, or decaying plant material. Others, such as the Japanese beetle are devastating agricultural pests.
Male stag beetles use their jaws to wrestle each other for favoured mating sites in a manner that parallels the way stags fight over females. Fights may also be over food, such as tree sap and decaying fruits. Despite their often fearsome appearance they are not normally aggressive to humans.
Female stag beetles are usually smaller than the males, with smaller mandibles. As larvae, females can be distinguished from males by the presence of cream-coloured, fat ovaries visible through the skin around 2/3 down the larva's back.