16 interesting facts about beetles
- The beetle body is comprised of three sections all of which are coated in the hard outer shell, namely, the head, the thorax and the abdomen.
- 40% of the recognized insects are classified as beetles.
- Beetles are the largest order of insects in the world with more than 350,000 species.
- Goliath beetle from Africa is the heaviest insect in the world weighing up to 100 grams.
- Scientists estimate the real number of beetle species to be between 4 million and 8 million.
- The largest of the beetle family is the scarab beetle family with more than 20,000 species. It can support 850 times its own weight.
- The lightest beetle is the feather-winged beetle weighing 0.4 milligrams.
- The metallic-colored wing covers of some beetles are used for jewelry.
- Some beetles live on mountains more than 5,000 meters high.
- Beetles cannot see very well and thus, communicate through pheromones, sounds or vibrations.
- Most of the beetles are terrestrial but some are underground tunnelers and some live in water.
- They are poor flyers as compared to other insects but adapt well to rigorous conditions.
- The beetle feeds on plants and fungi as well as the debris from both plants and animals.
- They recognize their surroundings through the antennas that are made up of 10 different sections.
- Depending on the species, the beetles can lay eggs ranging from a few to thousand in number.
- Bigger species of beetles can be seen eating small birds and small species of mammals.
