Is the beetle an insect?

Thousands of new beetles are added to the 350,000 known species of beetle every year. Scientists keep discovering new crawling animals on every continent - except Antarctica.

The beetle - the main features

• Beetles differ from other insects in their physique. All insects have a three-part body made up of the head, chest and abdomen sections. In the case of beetles, these are divided somewhat differently. They also have a head, but the second part only consists of the first part of the chest. The second and third parts of the breast form an optical unit with the abdomen.
• This impression is also supported by the very stable pairs of chitinic wings that cover this entire rear unit on the top of the beetle. When viewed from below, the two rear breast segments are optically connected to the abdomen, since the breast segments protrude beyond the first abdomen segments.
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• Almost all beetles have very hard chitin shells. These have the function of an exoskeleton because they have no bones inside.
• Like all insects, they have six legs and two antennae, which can, however, be designed very differently for each species.


Identify beetles - this is how it works

Coleoptera - what sounds like a dinosaur is nothing but a technical term for ...

• Beetles have chewing mouthparts. Other insects, such as flies and mosquitoes, have licking or stinging-sucking mouthparts.
• Like all insects, beetles have rope ladder nervous systems. However, there are no ganglia in the abdomen. Other typical insect characteristics are the tubular heart that drives the open blood vessel system and the simple digestive tract with "Malpighian vessels", the insect's kidneys, so to speak. Beetles breathe with tracheas, protuberances in the skin that allow the supply of oxygen and an exchange of air.
• The body structure and coloration of beetles offer an immeasurable variety. The numerous species of beetles are perfectly adapted to their habitats and habits.

Beetles - extraordinary insects

• The largest beetles are the giant longhorn beetle (Titanus giganteus) and the Hercules beetle. They can grow to be 17 centimeters tall. There cannot be much larger beetles because the tracheal system has to carry oxygen to the organs. This is why very large beetles are quite sluggish. The large animals cannot fly either, they can only use their wings to sail down.
• The giant longhorn beetle lives in the rainforests of South America. Their larvae grow to a length of 25 centimeters and live in the trunks of trees. In Brazil they are eaten by Indians.
• The Hercules beetle also lives in South America, but it can also be found in Central America. Its wings reach an impressive span of 22 centimeters. The males have bizarre, pincer-like protrusions on the head and chest. They are used to impress and fight with other males. Their 20 centimeter long larvae are also eaten by Indians in South America.
• The smallest beetles in the world are the feathered winged birds. The smallest species in this family measure just 0.25 millimeters. These insects live in rotten wood and feed on mold spores.
• Beetles tend to be quiet contemporaries in general. But some bugs, like the lily chicken, can make chirping sounds by rubbing the rear edges of their abdomen together. Many longhorn beetles and leaf beetles are also able to do this. Others, like the dung beetles, rub the wings on the abdomen to do this.
• The pied rodent beetle, also known as the dead clock, hits its head on wood to attract females. These beetles grow up to seven millimeters long. The species belongs to the group of annobia, which attack all dry wood and are therefore called woodworms.
• Some tiger beetles and giant beetles have special tympanic organs that enable them to perceive the ultrasonic locating sounds of bats. This allows them to escape before they become the next bat meal.
• Fireflies, also called fireflies, have the ability to use light signals. Either the females draw attention to themselves, or the males fly around brightly.