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…
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…
Rhinoceros beetles are large, heavy-bodied beetles named for the horns that many males carry on their heads, just like a rhinoceros. They are a group of scarab beetles in the subfamily Dynastinae, which contains around 1,500 species. Some of them, like the Hercules beetle, are among the biggest beetles on Earth. Rhinoceros beetle Quick Facts…
June beetles, also called June bugs or May beetles, are chunky brown scarab beetles that buzz around porch lights on warm late-spring and early-summer evenings. They get their name from the time of year when the adults dig out of the ground. Their larvae, called white grubs, live in the soil and feed on plant…
The Japanese beetle is a small, shiny green and copper scarab beetle that comes from Japan. It reached the United States over a hundred years ago and is now one of the most damaging garden pests in North America. Adults chew the leaves, flowers and fruit of hundreds of plants, while their grubs eat grass…
Jewel beetles are some of the most beautiful insects in the world, with shiny bodies that sparkle in green, blue, gold, copper and red. They belong to the family Buprestidae, and they are also called metallic wood-boring beetles because their larvae tunnel through wood. There are about 15,000 known species. Jewel beetles Quick Facts Common…
Ground beetles are fast-running hunting beetles that live on the ground almost everywhere in the world. They make up the family Carabidae, one of the biggest animal families, with around 40,000 known species. Many of them are a gardener’s best friend, because they eat slugs, caterpillars and other plant pests. Ground beetles Quick Facts Common…
Click beetles are long, slim beetles famous for a special trick: if one lands on its back, it can flip itself into the air with a loud “click.” They belong to the family Elateridae. Their larvae, called wireworms, live in the soil and can be serious garden and farm pests. Click beetles Quick Facts Common…
Cucumber beetles are small, brightly colored leaf beetles that feed on cucumber, squash, melon and pumpkin plants. Gardeners and farmers know them well, because both the adults and their larvae can damage crops. They belong to two related groups (genera) of leaf beetles, Acalymma and Diabrotica, in the family Chrysomelidae. Cucumber beetles Quick Facts Common…
The black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, is a small, dark beetle with a short snout that is a well-known pest of gardens, nurseries and potted plants. It is sometimes misspelled “black wine weevil,” but its name refers to vines such as grapevines, which it can also attack. Black vine weevil Quick Facts Common name Black…
Worm composting is a great way to get in on the recycling craze. Worm composting can be done either inside or outside, so even if you live in a region with changing seasonal weather you can compost all year round. You only need to put your recyclable organic waste into the compost with the worms…
All sorts of fun worm facts to amaze your friends! Who knew worms were so cool?