While beetles can create a headache for homeowners, they are the most diverse group among all insects.
It may interest you to know that beetles represent about 25% of all known life forms, with over 400,000 species.
Interestingly, about 40% of all insects belong to the Coleoptera order, better known as beetles. That means that a quarter of all animal species on this planet are beetles.
Moreover, insects have an insatiable appetite! They can eat plants, hunt down fellow invertebrates, and even feast on poop.
Let’s dive deeper into the world of beetles and more interesting facts you might want to know.
10 interesting facts about beetles
1. Beetles live everywhere
Beetles exist almost anywhere in the world, from the North to the South pole. They can be found in both terrestrial and freshwater aquatic habitats, from forests to grasslands, deserts to tundras, and from beaches to mountaintops.
As a matter of fact, some of the world’s most remote islands have beetles. The British geneticist (and atheist) J. B. S. Haldane is purported to have said that God must have an “inordinate fondness for beetles.” This is probably because of their presence in every corner of the World.
2. Beetles have an insatiable appetite
Beetles eat almost anything. Most beetles are plant feeders, consuming plant material such as leaves, stems, fruits, pollen, and wood. Adult beetles chew through their specialized mouthparts called mandibles.
Then there are Fungus Beetles. You’ll find them in the nooks and crannies of rotting wood, relishing the fungal growths that thrive there.
Ladybugs, on the other hand, are carnivores. These tiny warriors hunt down other insects like aphids and mites, helping control insect pests in our gardens.
A few species, like the Dung Beetle, have a rather unique and vital dietary role. They’re attracted to animal waste, which serves as a meal and an ideal nursery for their offspring.
And let’s remember the Carrion Beetles, nature’s cleanup crew, making a meal out of the decaying remains of other animals.
3. Beetles Have a Big Impact on the Economy
Did you know that beetles are crucial to nature’s ecosystem as the cleanup crew?
Carrion Beetles and Dung Beetles are particularly notable as they consume dead plants, leaves, and animal remains, breaking them down into smaller pieces. Their mission is to prepare the organic matter for other decomposers like bacteria and fungi.
Only a tiny fraction of the overall insect population can be considered pests; most insects never cause us any trouble at all.
But because so many are phytophagous, the order Coleoptera does include quite a few pests of economic importance. Bark beetles like the mountain pine beetle and wood-borers such as the exotic emerald ash borer kill millions of trees each year.
Also by feasting on decaying matter, these beetles recycle nutrients into the soil, promoting soil fertility and the growth of new life. The nutrients they release, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, are vital for sustaining plant life.
Furthermore, beetles maintain ecosystem health and help control diseases and pests by efficiently removing rotting matter and preventing accumulation.
Some beetles, like saprophagous ones, have even partnered with specialized gut bacteria, showcasing the remarkable adaptations of beetles as nature’s cleanup crew.
4. The Australian Tiger Beetle is the fastest-running insect
Did you know that the Cicindela hudsoni, also known as the Australian Tiger Beetle, has been recorded as the fastest insect in the world? Despite its small size, it can run at an average speed of 5.5 mph (9 km/h), equivalent to a relative rate of 171 body lengths per second.
Interestingly, Tiger Beetles use a distinct chasing pattern known as “stop-and-go.” They pause in the middle of their pursuit. The reason for this behavior is their poor eyesight. They cannot gather enough photons to form a clear image of their prey if they move too quickly.
As a result, a tiger beetle in hot pursuit must stop periodically – for just a fraction of a second – to regain its faculties and relocate its target before continuing the chase. It may pause three or four times during a hunt, giving its prey several chances to escape.
But temporary blindness seems a small price to pay for super-speed, the beetle runs down most dinners, even with all the fits and starts.
5. Beetles are both pets and pests
People worldwide cherish beetles as pets due to their distinct appearance, bright colors, and low-maintenance lifestyles.
Rhinoceros Beetles are famous in Japan, especially among young boys. These species were initially caught outdoors but are now displayed in pet and department stores.
However, not all beetles receive the same admiration. The Colorado Potato Beetle, for instance, is one of a few beetles notorious for its destructive nature.
The larvae and adult individuals consume the potato plant – from their leaves to their stems and fruits. They destroy these valuable crops and cause significant economic and agricultural damage.
Farmers worldwide invest substantial amounts, reaching millions, in pesticides and other control measures to combat these agricultural pests.
Wood Boring Beetles are another group of beetles that specifically feed on trees. During winter, adults lay their eggs on the wood of living trees. The larvae then consume the sapwood and water found beneath the tree’s bark before eventually developing into adults.
Some can also burrow into the heartwood of the tree. They can cause extensive damage and even destroy entire forests if left unchecked.
6. Some Beetles Glow in the Dark
Species in certain beetle families produce light. Their bioluminescence occurs through a chemical reaction involving an enzyme called luciferase. Fireflies (family Lampyridae) flash signals to attract potential mates, with a light organ on the abdomen. In glowworms (family Phengodidae), the light organs run down the sides of the thoracic and abdominal segments, like tiny glowing windows on a railroad boxcar and thus their nickname, railroad worms. Glowworms also sometimes have an additional light organ on the head, which glows red! Tropical click beetles (family Elateridae) also produce light by virtue a pair of oval light organs on the thorax and a third light organ on the abdomen.
7. Beetles Have Been Around for About 270 Million Years
Beetles boast a rich and ancient history. The first inklings of their existence can be traced back to the Paleozoic Era, with beetle fossils providing a window into their prehistoric past. These fossils, often well-preserved in amber, offer a glimpse into a world 270 million years ago when the first beetles buzzed about prehistoric forests. True beetles, those that resemble our modern day beetles, first appeared about 230 million years ago. Beetles were already in existence before the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea, and they survived the K/T extinction event thought to have doomed the dinosaurs. How have beetles survived for so long, and withstood such extreme events? As a group, beetles have proved remarkably adept at adapting to ecological changes.
8. They are the most diverse insect species
Beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera, are incredibly diverse insects that comprise a quarter of all known living organisms! There are an estimated 400,000 identified species of beetles, with so many species yet to be discovered1. Among them, there are size variations that would make your jaw drop. On one end of the scale, we have the almost invisible feather-winged beetles, no larger than 0.01 inches. The Fringed Ant Beetle (Nymphister Kronaueri) is the smallest known beetle and measures around 0.25 millimeters in length. On the other end, the Goliath Beetle, which can grow to 6.7 inches and weigh 1.8 ounces, is one of the longest and heaviest insects in the world.
Furthermore, beetles live in almost every habitat except the extreme polar regions. They live in the driest deserts and the wettest tropical rainforests!
9. Beetles Can Be Noisy
Many insects are famous for their sounds. Cicadas, crickets, grasshoppers, and katydids all serenade us with songs. Many beetles produce sounds, too, although not nearly as melodic as those of their Orthopteran cousins. Deathwatch beetles bang their heads again the walls of their wood tunnels, making a surprisingly loud knocking sound. Some darkling beetles tap their abdomens on the ground. A good number of beetles stridulate, particularly when handled by humans. Have you ever picked up a June beetle? Many, like the ten-lined June beetle, will squeal when you do. Both male and female bark beetles chirp, probably as a courtship ritual and a means of finding one another.
10. Blister Beetles are used to treat warts
Blister Beetles produce an acrimonious substance known as cantharidin, which holds medical applications as a topical skin irritant for wart removal.
Additionally, it has historically been a prominent ingredient in purported love potions. Moreover, cantharidin has been used as an aphrodisiac and colloquially referred to as a Spanish fly. Amazing!
