Beetles make up the largest order of insects, with hundreds of thousands of known species. What sets them apart is a pair of hard front wings, called elytra, that fold over and protect the delicate flying wings underneath. Beetles live almost everywhere, from ponds and forests to pantries, and they play many roles as recyclers, predators, pollinators and crop pests.
This collection profiles a wide variety of beetles, including the tunneling dung beetle, the giant-jawed stag beetle and the speedy tiger beetle. You will also find weevils that infest stored grain and flour, the larvae known as mealworms, and glowing and clicking species that never fail to impress young bug hunters.
Mealworms are the larvae of the yellow mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a kind of darkling beetle. Despite their name, mealworms are not worms at all. They are young beetles that will go through an amazing change before they become adults. Teachers and students: you’re welcome to use this diagram in lessons and projects with credit…
Beetle larvae are the young stage of beetles, the part of life between hatching from an egg and turning into a pupa. Many people call them grubs. They often look like little worms, but each one will one day become a beetle. Beetle larvae Quick Facts Common name Beetle larvae Scientific name Coleoptera Kingdom Animalia…
Every beetle starts life as a tiny egg and goes through a big change before it becomes an adult. This change is called complete metamorphosis, and it has four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Depending on the species, the whole beetle life cycle can take a few weeks or many years. Teachers and students:…
The milkweed tortoise beetle, also called the argus tortoise beetle, is a round, shell-shaped leaf beetle found across much of North America. Its scientific name is Chelymorpha cassidea. Like other tortoise beetles, it hides under a wide, flat shield, a bit like a tiny turtle. Milkweed tortoise beetle Quick Facts Common name Milkweed tortoise beetle…
Tortoise beetles are small, rounded leaf-eating beetles whose wide, flat shells make them look like tiny tortoises or turtles. Some are so shiny they look like drops of gold or living jewelry. Tortoise beetle Quick Facts Common name Tortoise beetle Type Insect (leaf beetle subfamily) Diet Leaves of plants such as morning glory, sweet potato,…
The varied carpet beetle is a tiny, round beetle covered in a patchwork of white, brown and yellow scales. The adults are harmless flower visitors, but their fuzzy larvae, known as “woolly bears,” are one of the most common household pests, chewing holes in wool, fur, feathers and silk. Varied carpet beetle Quick Facts Common…
Tiger beetles are fast, fierce hunting beetles with big eyes and long, sickle-shaped jaws. They are among the fastest-running insects on Earth, chasing down other bugs on sunny beaches, sandbanks and trails. Tiger beetle Quick Facts Common name Tiger beetle Type Insect (ground beetle subfamily) Diet Ants, flies, caterpillars, spiders and other small creatures Habitat…
The stag beetle is one of the biggest and most impressive beetles in Europe. Males have huge jaws that look like the antlers of a stag (a male deer), which is how the beetle got its name. Its scientific name is Lucanus cervus, and it belongs to a family of about 1,200 stag beetle species…
Spider beetles are tiny beetles with round, shiny bodies and long, thin legs, which make them look a lot like little spiders. They are scavengers that feed on dry food and other dried-up materials, and some species are common pests in pantries, warehouses and museums. Spider beetle Quick Facts Common name Spider beetle Type Insect…
Soldier beetles are slim, soft-bodied beetles often seen on summer flowers. They belong to the family Cantharidae, which has around 5,000 species found all over the world, and they are good friends to gardeners because they eat pests like aphids. Soldier beetle Quick Facts Common name Soldier beetle Scientific name Cantharidae Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda…
Rove beetles are a huge family of mostly small, slender beetles with very short wing covers that leave most of their abdomen showing. With more than 60,000 known species, they make up the largest family of beetles on Earth. Rove beetle Quick Facts Common name Rove beetle Scientific name Staphylinidae Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Class…
Scarab beetles are a large family of sturdy, often colorful beetles that includes dung beetles, chafers, June beetles and some of the biggest beetles in the world. There are around 30,000 known species, found on every continent except Antarctica. Scarab beetle Quick Facts Common name Scarab beetle Scientific name Scarabaeidae Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Class…