Beetle
A beetle is an insect in the order Coleoptera, distinguished by hardened forewings called elytra that cover and protect its folded hindwings.
Elytron: A hardened forewing that covers and protects a beetle’s hindwing and abdomen. Elytra are the defining structural feature of beetles.
Bark beetle: A beetle that breeds in or beneath the bark of trees, often feeding on inner bark or associated fungi. Some bark beetles cause extensive tree mortality and reshape forest management.
Bioluminescence: The production of light by a living organism through a chemical reaction. Fireflies are beetles whose light signals mediate courtship and warning.
Permian: A geologic period lasting from about 299 to 252 million years ago. The oldest known beetle fossils date to the Permian.
Goliath beetle: A large African scarab beetle in the genus Goliathus. Its exceptional size illustrates the range of adult beetle body plans.
Complete metamorphosis: A life cycle with distinct egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Beetles develop through radically different larval, pupal, and adult forms.
Colorado potato beetle: A leaf beetle that feeds on potato and other nightshade crops. Its crop damage and insecticide resistance make it a major agricultural pest.
Chemical defense: The use of irritating, toxic, or repellent chemicals to deter predators. Bombardier beetles eject hot reactive chemicals from specialized abdominal glands.
Mesozoic: The geologic era from about 252 to 66 million years ago, encompassing the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. Beetle lineages diversified through this era alongside changing terrestrial ecosystems.
Weevil: A beetle in the superfamily Curculionoidea, typically recognized by its elongated snout. Weevils form a species-rich lineage with specialized plant-feeding habits.