Identify Beetles

With more than four hundred thousand different species, beetles make up forty percent of all insect species and account for twenty-five percent of the world's life forms. Differentiating between the innumerable types of Coleoptera is difficult, but important. While many species are pests that destroy crops and trees, others perform important functions within the ecosystem. If you want to learn how to identify beetles, follow these guidelines.

Steps

  1. Look for six legs and bodies that are divided into three sections, the head, thorax and abdomen.
  2. Look for a hard exoskeleton. The exoskeleton protects most of their bodies. While its primary function is defensive, the exoskeleton also is the most distinctive feature for identification of different beetle species.
  3. Look for different colored exoskeletons. Most adult beetles are either black or brown, but some are brightly colored. One of the most brilliantly colored is the jewel beetle. The complex cell structure of its exoskeleton reflects light at different wavelengths, enabling the beetle to appear red, yellow or green, depending on the angle it is being view from. Many other species are single, bright colors, ranging from blue to orange. Others, like the fire-colored beetle, have a splash of red on their distinctive necks.
  4. Check the beetle for any markings that will help to identify it. Many beetles have patterns on their exoskeletons that aid in identification. Some, however, are very similar to other species. The common ladybug, for example, has an orange shell with black spots. The milkweed has the same pattern on its exoskeleton. The two creatures can easily be distinguished from one another by other characteristics, including shape and pigmentation of the head.
  5. Look for small sheaths, called elytra, that fold out from the beetle's shell when it prepares to fly. This reveals secondary wings capable of flight.
  6. Listen for an insect flying noisily near the ground. Beetles in flight are easily distinguished from other insects, like flies. Beetles often fly noisily, stay near the ground, and seem to have trouble steering.
  7. Look for large heads with distinctive mouth parts. Beetles often have large heads with mandibles, visible to the naked eye. Their jaws are powerful and are used for grasping prey or tearing at predators. Some, like the stag beetle, are named because of the distinctive shape of their jaws. (Its pincers look very much like antlers). Inside beetle jaws are smaller mouth parts that actually ingest nourishment.
  8. Look for small, worm-like larvae. Most people think of beetles as large, shiny insects that are frequently seen foraging for food during summer months. But beetles spend a significant portion of their lifespans in the larval stage of development. Like adults, larvae are dissimilar in appearance from one beetle species to the next. At first glance, beetle larvae probably resemble worms more than the typical concept of beetles. But upon closer examination, you can see the distinctive characteristics of beetle larvae, including hard, well-developed heads with mouth parts, and distinct thorax and abdomen segments. Other features of common beetle larvae include:
    • Grubs: Grubs, sometimes called grub worms, have tan heads and fleshy, white bodies. They are found in rotting wood and sod, where they feed voraciously. After moving to the pupal stage of their life cycles, in which they neither move nor feed, grubs emerge as adult scarab beetles.
    • Wireworms and mealworms: These beetle larvae are light brown, narrow and segmented. Wireworms feed on roots and develop into click beetles; mealworms thrive on farming chaff and become darkling beetles.
    • Wood borers: The larvae of these types of beetles are found under loose tree bark. The larvae are legless and have broad bodies that are either plump or flat. Round-headed larvae eventually become long-horned beetles.
    • Leaf beetle larvae: These types are named for the host plant they feed on. (e.g., elm leaf beetle, Colorado potato beetle, Mexican bean beetle). They tend to be fleshy and soft-bodied. Like all beetle larvae, they feed constantly to store nutrients for the pupal phase of their life cycles, which is the key development stage to adulthood. These pests are of extreme concern to the farming industry, as they destroy massive amounts of crops every year.
  9. Identify common beetles and understand their role in the ecosystem. By developing a basic understanding of the characteristics of beetles, you can learn to identify types that thrive in your area. Some are pests that pose major economic threats, but many others perform vital functions in the ecosystem. Some of the most common beetles in North America are:
    • Ladybugs: Plentiful across most of North America, ladybugs are perhaps the most recognizable of all beetles, and one of the most beneficial. Bright orange with black dots, ladybugs eat plant-destroying aphids, making them welcome visitors to gardeners and farmers. They sometimes are confused with red milkweed beetles, which have orange exoskeletons and four black dots. The similarities end there, however. Milkweed beetles are long and cylindrical and, unlike ladybugs, have orange heads.
    • Dung beetles: Dung beetles perform an important ecological function by feeding on undigested material in animal feces and reintegrating compounds into the soil. They often are colorful, ranging from copper to metallic green. Some species live inside dung, breaking the substance down to further biodegradability. Others roll or tunnel under piles, and suck nutritious moisture from the substance.
    • Weevils: There are about sixty thousand species of weevils, which are some of the most destructive beetles in the world. Wheat weevils devour grain in both the field and storage facilities. Boll weevils eradicate cotton flowers. Because of their destructive capabilities, scientists strive to understand all phases of their development so that they can be controlled. Given the number of species, their physical characteristics vary widely, but all have distinctive snouts that enable them to suck nutrients from plants. Weevils have another unique structural design that covers the entire family. Entomologists have discovered that weevils have screw-like designs on their legs that enable them to climb and cling to plants more effectively. They are smaller than most of their counterparts, usually reaching lengths of only seven millimeters or one sixteenth of an inch.
    • Common black ground beetle: Perhaps the most abundant beetle, the common black ground beetle, inhabits a wide variety of locales searching for prey. They usually are about a half-inch or one and three-quarter centimeters in length. They feed on soft-bodied creatures like maggots and grubs, so they have a significant role in pest control. One noteworthy trait of this type of beetle is, it doesn't fly.

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