Beetle Facts
“Beetle” is the common name for an insect from the order Coleoptera, the largest order of animals.
There are over 400,000 identified species in this order, with thousands more still waiting to be discovered. Beetles are a diverse population of insects with a wide variety of habitats and diets. There are beetle species found in almost any habitat on the planet including lakes, rivers, rainforests, and mountains. Depending on the species, beetles have been known to eat plants, pollen, fruit, wood, or other creatures like insects, fish, and birds.
Beetle Identification
A beetle has six legs and a head, thorax, and abdomen. It has a hard shell or exoskeleton that covers its body. Beetle species range in size and color from black to bright colors with distinctive patterns. Beetles have two pairs of wings and, in most cases, strong jaws made for chewing. Spiders, ants, fish, frogs, rodents, and birds are some of the animals that eat beetles. Depending on the species, beetles will protect themselves from predators by running fast, burrowing or hiding, biting, or releasing a chemical that is toxic to the predator.
