Californians watched in dismay this month as the York fire seared through Mojave National Preserve, igniting a delicate desert landscape that may never fully recover.
Ecology
Aug 22, 2023
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1
One hundred million years ago, as iguanodons and triceratops fled from hungry tyrannosaurs, another biological drama played out on the ground where the giant reptiles trod: Male beetles using their supersized antennae in ...
Evolution
Aug 10, 2023
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311
As the planet continues to warm due to global climate change, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, is rising. Heat waves are not just uncomfortable for humans; they also pose significant ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 6, 2023
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3
When combined with iridescent coloration, a matte target surface appearance confers greater survival benefits in beetles than a glossy surface, scientists at the University of Bristol have found.
Plants & Animals
Jun 23, 2023
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64
A locally found pathogenic fungus, Beauveria australis, has for the first time been observed infecting imported dung beetles in Australia.
Ecology
Jun 2, 2023
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12
The mountain pine beetle is one of the main causes of tree mortality in the pine forests of North America. For example, the insect has killed thousands of acres of pine forest in British Columbia and Alberta, and as a result, ...
Ecology
May 9, 2023
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35
Which energy type promotes the biodiversity of beetles living in dead wood in the forest? That depends entirely on where the beetles are in the food chain.
Ecology
May 9, 2023
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3
Beetles usually rely on the help of bacterial partners to survive. These symbioses can have different functions. Bacterial symbionts may help digest plant material, make the beetles more resistant to plant defenses, or provide ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 24, 2023
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42
Life existed without human beings for more than 99.9% of Earth's history. Yet we often ignore the achievements of species that preceded us by billions of years.
Plants & Animals
Apr 19, 2023
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14
New fossils in amber have revealed that beetles fed on the feathers of dinosaurs about 105 million years ago, showing a symbiotic relationship of one-sided or mutual benefit, according to an article titled "Symbiosis between ...
Evolution
Apr 17, 2023
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284
Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga See subgroups of the order Coleoptera
Beetles are the group of insects with the largest number of known species. They are classified in the order Coleoptera (pronounced /ˌkoʊliˈɒptərə/; from Greek κολεός, koleos, "sheath"; and πτερόν, pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing"), which contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about 25% of all known life-forms. 40% of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. The largest family also belongs to this order—the weevils, or snout beetles, Curculionidae.
Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, beetles in the family Coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops.
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