Beetles are a diverse group of insects that belong to the order Coleoptera, which is the largest order of insects, representing about 40 percent of the known insect species.
With over 350,000 described species worldwide, beetles are found in nearly all habitats and come in all shapes and sizes. They are known for their unique characteristics, including their hardened forewings, called elytra, which protect their delicate flight wings and upper abdomen.
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Beetles are also known for their diverse diets, which include all parts of living or dead land plants, hunting and preying on other insects, scavenging, and parasitism.
In this article, we will provide a list of 20 common types of beetles, including their identification, size, diet, and scientific name.
20 Types Of Beetles The Complete List
Ladybug
Ladybugs, also known as ladybirds or lady beetles, are a type of beetle belonging to the family Coccinellidae. They are small, oval-shaped insects with a domed back and flat underside, and are typically red or orange with black spots.
Ladybugs are found worldwide and are known for their beneficial role in controlling aphids and other plant pests. In North America, the name “ladybug” is commonly used, while in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, they are known as “ladybirds”.
Ladybugs are also known for their distinctive spots and conspicuous colors, which warn predators of their toxicity. There are over 5,000 species of ladybugs, with the most common species being the seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), which is native to Europe.
Ladybugs have a fascinating life cycle and are important to the ecosystem, making them a beloved insect by many people around the world.
Carrion
Carrion beetles are a family of beetles belonging to the family Silphidae. They are also known as burying beetles or large carrion beetles. There are approximately 200 species of carrion beetles, which are relatively small compared to other beetle families.
Carrion beetles are found worldwide, but they are more abundant in temperate regions. They feed on decaying organic matter, such as animal carcasses, and are important in the decomposition process.
The appearance of carrion beetles varies depending on the species, but they usually have brightly colored orange-red bands across their black backs with orange spots on the tips of their antennae.
Members of this family are usually an inch in length and have a flattened appearance. Some common species of carrion beetles include the American carrion beetle (Necrophila americana) and the burying beetle (Nicrophorus spp.).
Carrion beetles play an important role in the ecosystem, and their presence can indicate the health of an ecosystem.
Flesh-eating
Flesh-eating beetles, also known as dermestid beetles, are a type of beetle belonging to the family Dermestidae. They are commonly referred to as skin beetles, and there are over 1,800 species described.
Flesh-eating beetles are significant in forensic entomology, as some species are associated with decaying carcasses, which helps with criminal investigations. They are also used in taxidermy and by natural history museums to clean animal skeletons.
Flesh-eating beetles only consume dead and decaying flesh, and they are attracted to soiled fabrics and crevices where dead insects may serve as a food source. The larvae of flesh-eating beetles are known for their ability to strip the flesh off of carcasses in a process called skeletonization.
Wildlife law enforcement agents use the beetles to expose skeletons when harsh chemicals might damage evidence, such as marks on bones.Museum curators and taxidermists also use the bugs to clean skeletons for research and displays.
In the wild, flesh-eating beetles decompose animals that have long since expired, but they can also be found indoors, where they expand their palates and eat their way through materials like fabric and leather.
Rove
Rove beetles are a family of beetles belonging to the family Staphylinidae. They are primarily distinguished by their short elytra, which typically leave more than half of their abdominal segments exposed.
Rove beetles are found worldwide, and there are over 56,000 described species. They range in size from less than 1 mm to 35 mm, with most species in the 2-8 mm range.
The form of rove beetles is generally elongated, with some species being ovoid in shape. Colors range from yellow and red to reddish-brown to brown to black to iridescent blue and green. The antennae usually have 11 segments and are filiform, with moderate clubbing in some genera.
Rove beetles are known from every type of habitat in which beetles occur, and their diets include just about everything, including other insects, fungi, carrion, and plant material.
Rove beetles are typically active, fast-moving insects, and they are known for flipping up or wiggling their flexible, exposed abdomen, especially when frightened.
Rove beetles are beneficial for human interests, as many species prey on insect pests, suppressing pests of crops, gardens, and forests, as well as the numbers of mosquitoes and fleas.
Weevil
Weevils are a type of beetle belonging to the superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small, less than 6 mm in length, and herbivorous.
There are approximately 97,000 species of weevils known, with most of them in the family Curculionidae (the true weevils).
Weevils are found worldwide and belong to several families, including bark beetles, which are a subfamily of Curculionidae. Some other beetles, although not closely related, bear the name “weevil,” such as the biscuit weevil (Stegobium paniceum), which belongs to the family Ptinidae.
Weevils are often lightbulb- or pear-shaped, and the immature, legless, grub-like larvae feed on plants. Adult weevils look for shelter in unfavorable weather conditions, especially when it is hot and dry, and they enter buildings by crawling through cracks or openings around foundations, doors, and windows.
Weevils are a temporary nuisance and do not harm people or pets, damage buildings or property, or infest food products. Some common types of weevils that infest pantries and cupboards include rice weevils (Sitophilus oryzae), granary or wheat weevil (Sitophilus granarius), and maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais). Weevils are also found in gardens and fields, where they feed on crops, plants, or stored cereal grains.
Ground
Ground beetles are a large and diverse family of beetles belonging to the family Carabidae. They are found worldwide, with over 40,000 species described, and are one of the most common groups of beetles in North America.
Ground beetles are known for their long legs and powerful mandibles, which enable them to be voracious predators, important for the biological control of insect pests on farms and gardens. They are primarily carnivorous, but some members are phytophagous or omnivorous.
Ground beetles are typically active at night and hide during the day under leaves, logs, stones, loose bark, and in grassy areas. They are generally flattened insects with obvious mandibles and are about 1/8 – 1/2 inches long, although some species can become as large as 1 inch in length.
Ground beetles are beneficial insects, as they feed on other insects, including caterpillars, grubs, and adults of other beetles, fly maggots and pupae, earthworms, and other small soil dwellers. They can consume their body weight in food daily and are considered important predators in most agricultural and garden settings.
Scarab
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Scarabs are a diverse family of beetles, with over 35,000 species worldwide. They are often called scarab beetles and are known for their distinctive clubbed antennae composed of plates called lamellae that can be compressed into a ball or fanned out like leaves to sense odors.
Scarabs are stout-bodied beetles, many with bright metallic colors, measuring between 1.5 and 160 millimeters (0.059 and 6.3 in). They have undergone significant classification changes in recent years, with several subfamilies elevated to family rank and some reduced to lower ranks.
Scarabs are found in every part of the world except in the oceans and on Antarctica. Scarabs are a mesmerizingly diverse family of beetles, with about 30,000 species comprising about 10 percent of all known beetles.
Scarabs vary considerably in habits, with many species feeding on manure or on decomposing plant materials, others on growing roots or leaves, and a few on fungi.
Scarab beetles include several agricultural pests, including the Japanese beetle, which savages landscaping, and the June bug, which pings incessantly off front porch lights. Scarabs are also known for their beauty, with many species being large and colorful.
Dung
Dung beetles are a type of beetle that feed on feces, and they are found worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica. There are over 35,000 species of dung beetles, and they are known for their ability to bury dung 250 times their own mass in one night.
Dung beetles play an important role in agriculture and tropical forests by improving nutrient recycling and soil structure. They are also important for the dispersal of seeds present in animals’ dung, influencing seed burial and seedling recruitment in tropical forests.
Dung beetles come in a variety of colors and sizes, and some functional traits such as body mass and leg length can have high levels of variability. There are three types of dung beetles: rollers, tunnelers, and dwellers.
Rollers shape pieces of dung into balls and roll them away from the pile, burying their ball to either munch on later or to use as a place to lay their eggs. Tunnelers bury their dung treasure by tunneling underneath the pile, and dwellers actually live inside dung piles.
Most dung beetles prefer dung from herbivores, but some will seek dung from omnivores. Dung beetles are important members of agricultural ecosystems, and many researchers have explored how dung beetles help support the production of food.
Stag
Stag beetles are a family of about 1,200 species of beetles in the family Lucanidae, currently classified in four subfamilies. They are found worldwide, and some species grow to over 12 centimeters, but most to about 5 cm.
The well-known species in much of Europe is Lucanus cervus, referred to in some European countries (including the United Kingdom) as the stag beetle; it is the largest terrestrial insect in Europe.
The male’s large jaws look just like the antlers of a stag, and they are actually over-sized mandibles, used in courtship displays and to wrestle other male beetles. Adult males vary in size from 35mm – 75mm long and tend to be seen flying at dusk in the summer looking for a mate.
Stag beetles are a beneficial part of garden and woodland ecosystems, as they are important for recycling and breaking down dead wood and other organic matter.
Stag beetles are a priority species for conservation in the UK, and their numbers seem to have stabilized recently, following decades of significant declines.
The giant, elk, American, or elephant stag beetle (Lucanus elaphus) is enormous, the males reaching 1½ inches in length without the mandibles, and to nearly 2½ inches with them.
Soldier
Soldier beetles are a family of beetles belonging to the family Cantharidae. They are relatively soft-bodied, straight-sided beetles, and they are cosmopolitan in distribution.
Soldier beetles are also known as leatherwings because of their soft elytra. There are over 5,000 species of soldier beetles, and they are typically about 1/2 inch long, yellowish to tannish-brown with soft wing covers. The head is black, and they have black legs with a black spot behind the head and an oval, black spot on each wing cover.
Soldier beetles are beneficial insects, as they mainly feed on pollen and nectar, and they are important pollinators. They are also predators of other small insects, including aphids and other plant pests.
Soldier beetle larvae are often active, velvety, often brightly colored, and they feed on the ground, hunting snails and other small creatures. Soldier beetles are harmless to plants, and there is no need to control them.
Firefly
Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, are a type of beetle belonging to the family Lampyridae. There are over 2,000 species of fireflies worldwide, and they are known for their ability to produce light, mainly during twilight, to attract mates.
Fireflies are soft-bodied beetles, and their light production is thought to have originated as an honest warning signal that the larvae were distasteful, which was co-opted in evolution as a mating signal in the adults.
Fireflies are found on every continent except Antarctica, and they are most commonly found in humid regions of Asia and the Americas.
Fireflies are beneficial insects, as they are important pollinators and predators of other small insects, including snails, slugs, and worms.
Firefly larvae feed on worms, snails, and insects, and they are recently hatched worm-like fireflies that haven’t fully developed yet, including their wings.
Fireflies are not endangered, but scientists are worried about them, as fewer of the insects have been spotted during the summer in recent years. Pesticide use, loss of habitat, and light pollution are some of the factors that have likely impacted the population of fireflies.
Squash
Squash beetles are a type of beetle that can be a major pest of squash and pumpkins, found throughout North America. There are several species of squash beetles, including Anasa tristis, which is a common species.
Squash beetles can cause significant damage to plants, especially young seedlings and plants that are flowering. They can cause young plants to wilt and die, and their feeding can also act as vectors for cucurbit yellow vine disease caused by the bacterium Serratia marcescens.
Squash beetles are usually dark gray to dark brown, and their abdomens have alternating orange and brown stripes. Squash beetle larvae are yellow with six rows of barbed, black spines and feed only on the underside of leaves.
Squash beetles can live through the winter as adults in sheltered places, such as under plant debris, around buildings, or under rocks. Squash beetles can be managed through a combination of nonchemical steps and pesticides.
Potato
Potato beetles are a type of beetle that can be a major pest of potato crops, found throughout North America. The most common species of potato beetle is the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), which is a major potato pest throughout North America.
Adults become active in spring, about the same time potato plants emerge from the ground, and larvae and adults feed on leaves and can completely defoliate plants.
Many pesticides are ineffective because of pesticide resistance of the Colorado potato beetle, and a combination of pest management tactics can reduce Colorado potato beetle numbers.
Other species of potato beetles include the three-lined potato beetle (Lema daturaphila), which is found on plants in the family Solanaceae, including potato, tomato, and relatives.
The larvae of the three-lined potato beetle are pink to salmon-colored with black heads and have two rows of dark spots on each side of their bodies.
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Handpicking and destroying adult beetles is an effective way to control potato beetles, and companion planting and using straw mulch can also help reduce their numbers.
Leaf
Leaf beetles are a large and diverse family of beetles, with over 37,000 species in more than 2,500 genera. They are commonly known as chrysomelid beetles and are found worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica.
Leaf beetles are known for their ability to feed on all sorts of plant tissue, including leaves, roots, and stems, and many are serious pests of cultivated plants, such as the Colorado potato beetle, the asparagus beetle, the cereal leaf beetle, the mustard beetle, and various flea beetles.
Some leaf beetles are beneficial due to their use in biocontrol of invasive weeds. The imagos of leaf beetles are small to medium-sized, ranging from 1.0 to 18 mm in length, excluding appendages, with just a few larger species such as Alurnus humeralis, which reaches 35 mm.
The bodies of most species are domed, and oval in dorsal view, and they often possess a metallic coloration. Leaf beetles are a large and diverse group, and they are important members of agricultural ecosystems, as many species are pests of crops and others are important pollinators and predators of other small insects.
Coconut Hispine
Coconut hispine beetle, also known as the coconut leaf beetle or coconut leaf hispa, is a leaf beetle that feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms.
It is a serious pest of coconuts throughout various growing regions in the Pacific, including Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Vietnam, Nauru, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Maldives, Myanmar, Hainan Island, and Aru Islands, and most recently, the Philippines.
The beetle can cause significant production losses, and high infestation levels may result in tree death. Both larvae and adults of the beetle feed on tissues of developing, unopened leaves of the trees. Control measures include pesticides and biological control agents such as parasitic wasps.
Mountain Pine
Mountain pine beetles are a type of bark beetle native to the forests of western North America, from Mexico to central British Columbia. They are known for their hard black exoskeleton and measure approximately 5 millimeters, about the size of a grain of rice.
Mountain pine beetles inhabit ponderosa, whitebark, lodgepole, Scots, jack, limber, Rocky Mountain bristlecone, and Great Basin bristlecone pine trees. Normally, these insects play an important role in the life of a forest, attacking old or weakened trees and speeding up the development of a younger forest.
However, unusually hot, dry summers and mild winters in 2004–2007 throughout the United States and Canada, along with forests filled with mature lodgepole pine, led to an unprecedented epidemic.
The current outbreak of mountain pine beetles is ten times larger than previous outbreaks, and it has caused significant damage to forests.
Mountain pine beetles are considered a native species to Western Canada, but they have expanded beyond their traditional range, extending further north in British Columbia and further northeast in Alberta, and are now considered an invasive pest.
Japanese
Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) are a species of scarab beetle that are native to Japan. They are about 15 mm in length and 10 mm in width, with iridescent copper-colored elytra and a green thorax and head.
Japanese beetles are considered a major pest in North America and some regions of Europe, where they feed on roughly 300 species of plants, including rose bushes, grapes, hops, canna, crape myrtles, birch trees, linden trees, and others. They are known for feeding on grass roots and can be very difficult and expensive to control.
Japanese beetles are a serious pest of flowers, trees and shrubs, fruits and vegetables, field crops, and turf. Adult Japanese beetles feed on more than 300 plant species, and their larvae feed on the roots of grasses.
Japanese beetles were first discovered in the United States in 1916, after being accidentally introduced into New Jersey, and they are now found throughout the eastern U.S., except for Florida, and continue to move westward.
Japanese beetles are most commonly found in the Twin Cities metropolitan area as well as southeast Minnesota. There are several methods to control Japanese beetles, including handpicking and destroying adult beetles, using beetle traps, and planting companion plants such as chives.
Hercules
The Hercules beetle is a species of rhinoceros beetle native to the rainforests of southern Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles. It is the longest extant species of beetle in the world, and is also one of the largest flying insects in the world.
The eastern Hercules beetle is a subspecies of the Hercules beetle and is found in the eastern United States. Males of the eastern Hercules beetle can be nearly 2½ inches long, counting the two forward-pointing horns, which are used for male-male contests for the best breeding sites. Females lack the horns.
The larvae of the Hercules beetle are saproxylophagous, meaning that they feed on rotting wood, and they reside in the same during their two-year developmental stage.
The adult Hercules beetle feeds on fresh and rotting fruit, along with tree sap. Adults carve bark through the use of their synchronous mandibles to easily access the sap of trees. As grubs, they are impressively large, and as beetle expert Brett Ratcliffe puts it, they “are basically the size of a Polish sausage”.
Hercules beetles also go through metamorphosis, like a butterfly, except that the beetle builds a pupal chamber out of its own feces and, in it, transforms.
The western Hercules beetle is a species of rhinoceros beetle native to the western United States. It is similar to the eastern Hercules beetle, and the two species are so similar that there is considerable debate about whether or not they should be considered the same. The western Hercules beetle is a beautiful, big, and burly beetle, and it is considered a good pet insect.
Atlas
The Atlas beetle (Chalcosoma atlas) is a species of beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, found in Southeast Asia. Here are some interesting facts about the Atlas beetle:
– The Atlas beetle is named after Atlas, the giant of Greek mythology who supported the skies.
– Males have three prominent horns on their head and thorax that they use to fight with each other to gain mating rights with females.
– The Atlas beetle is a herbivorous insect that feeds on leaves, fruits, and flowers.
– They typically cling to tree branches where they feed on vegetation.
– The Atlas beetle is one of the largest beetles in the world, with males reaching a length of about 60–120 millimeters (2.4–4.7 in) and females about 25–60 millimeters (0.98–2.36 in).
– The Atlas beetle is remarkable for its size, and males are larger than females.
– The Atlas beetle differs from other Chalcosoma species by the broader end of the horn on the thorax.
– The Atlas beetle is native to Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia.
– The mesmerizing Atlas Beetle evolved as native to a moderately large section of the globe.
Click
Click beetles are a family of beetles known for their unusual click mechanism, which they use to avoid predation and to right themselves when they are on their backs. Here are some key characteristics of click beetles:
Appearance:
– Elongated, parallel-sided body shape.
– Brown to black in color, without markings.
– Backward projections on the side corners of the shield behind the head (pronotum).
– Range in size and color by species, with smaller species about 1/4 inches long.
Behavior:
– Clicking mechanism produced by a spine on the prosternum that snaps into a corresponding notch on the mesosternum, producing a violent “click” that can bounce the beetle into the air.
– Clicking is mainly used to avoid predation, although it is also useful when the beetle is on its back and needs to right itself.
– Larvae are called wireworms and feed on decaying materials, enriching the soil.
– Some species of click beetles feed on the roots of crops, while others prey on the larvae of injurious grubs.
Types:
– Elateridae or typical click beetles are the most common type of click beetle.
– False click beetles (Eucnemidae) are similar to click beetles, and some species can even “click”.
– Eastern eyed click beetle (Alaus oculatus) is one of the larger click beetles, with adults sometimes reaching almost 2 inches in length.
Click beetles are fascinating insects, with their smooth, streamlined shapes and clicking/flipping behavior. They are beneficial insects, as they help control other insects by preying on their larvae and enriching the soil.
FAQS
1. How many types of beetles are there?
There are over 400,000 described species of beetles, and the total number of beetle species is estimated to be around 1.5 million.
2. What are some common types of beetles?
Some common types of beetles include ladybugs, carrion beetles, flesh-eating beetles, weevils, ground beetles, scarab beetles, dung beetles, stag beetles, soldier beetles, fireflies, squash beetles, potato beetles, leaf beetles, coconut hispine beetles, mountain pine beetles, Japanese beetles, Hercules beetles, Atlas beetles, click beetles, black caterpillar hunter beetles, tiger beetles, deathwatch beetles, checkered beetles, blister beetles, sawyer beetles, whirligig beetles, emerald ash borers, fiery searchers, and green June beetles.
3. What is the largest beetle in the world?
The Hercules beetle is one of the largest beetles in the world, with males reaching a length of about 60–120 millimeters (2.4–4.7 in) and females about 25–60 millimeters (0.98–2.36 in).
4. What is the smallest beetle in the world?
The featherwing beetle is the smallest beetle in the world, measuring only 0.25 millimeters in length.
5. What do beetles eat?
Beetles have a wide variety of dietary needs and are very important to the ecosystem of our planet. Some beetles are herbivores, feeding on leaves, fruits, and flowers, while others are predators, feeding on other insects. Some beetles are scavengers, feeding on dead animals and plants, while others are decomposers, breaking down organic matter.
6. What is the click mechanism of click beetles?
Click beetles have a spine on the prosternum that snaps into a corresponding notch on the mesosternum, producing a violent “click” that can bounce the beetle into the air. This mechanism is mainly used to avoid predation, although it is also useful when the beetle is on its back and needs to right itself.
7. What is the eastern Hercules beetle?
The eastern Hercules beetle is a subspecies of the Hercules beetle and is found in the eastern United States. Males of the eastern Hercules beetle can be nearly 2½ inches long, counting the two forward-pointing horns, which are used for male-male contests for the best breeding sites. Females lack the horns.
8. What is the Atlas beetle?
The Atlas beetle is a species of rhinoceros beetle native to the rainforests of southern Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the largest beetles in the world, with males reaching a length of about 60–120 millimeters (2.4–4.7 in) and females about 25–60 millimeters (0.98–2.36 in).
9. What is the mountain pine beetle?
The mountain pine beetle is a type of bark beetle native to the forests of western North America, from Mexico to central British Columbia. They are known for causing significant damage to forests, especially lodgepole pine trees.
10. What is the Japanese beetle?
The Japanese beetle is a species of scarab beetle that is a major pest of many plants, including rose bushes, grapes, hops, and others. They are known for feeding on the leaves of plants and can be very difficult and expensive to control.
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