Beetles
Beetles
If you turn over a rock, you may find a beetle. Learn more about their structures and behaviors.
Learning Objective: Summarize the specific characteristics of insects in Order Coleoptera, including the structures and life cycle of beetles.
Coleoptera, the beetle order, is the largest order in kingdom Animalia. There are more than 300,000 named species of beetles, more than all of the named species of plants on Earth.
Beetles have a hard exoskeleton covering their wings, called an elytra, which protects their bodies and helps store water and/or oxygen.
The elytra are iridescent and are commonly collected for use in jewelry.
This hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) has opened its elytra, and can unfurl its wings for flight.
Beetles and many other insect species have complex life cycles.
This photo shows the stages of the mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus 1758)
Mealworm larvae are commonly used as food for reptiles and amphibians.
This video shows the life cycle of mealworm beetles.
You won’t see the small light-color eggs, but keep a lookout for the larvae, pupa, and adult beetles.
Watch this video; you can select the closed captioning “cc” option if you would like to see the text.
We will have more on beetle development in an upcoming guide.
Check your knowledge – Beetles
Review your notes. Can you provide examples of beetle structures and behaviors? If so, move forward to the next page.
Learning Objective:
Summarize the specific characteristics of insects in Order Coleoptera, including the structures and life cycle of beetles.
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