Beetles
What do you already know about beetles?
Beetles are a type of insect. There are hundreds of thousands of different species of beetles in the world, more than any other type of insect. They can be found all over the world in almost every type of habitat. There are about 4000 species of beetle in the UK. In fact, around forty percent of all insects in this country are beetles, that’s almost half! (that doesn’t include the other types of minibeasts).
Beetles can be tiny or quite big and grow to over fifteen centimetres in length. They come in all sorts of colours, some black but some are very bright and more than one colour. Ladybirds are a type of beetle and probably the only ones you’d instantly recognise but there are so many more!
A beetles body has three parts, a head, a thorax which is the middle part and an abdomen at the end. They have a hard shell on the outside of their bodies. Beetles have six legs which are attached to the thorax. They also have two pairs of wings, one pair are part of their shell and hard for protection while underneath they have another set of wings they use to fly. They have antennae on their head which they use feeling and smelling the world around them. Beetles chew their food so have strong jaws to help them do this. What they eat varies depending on the species, some are carnivores, some herbivores and some are omnivores!
Most beetles like to live on their own but some species do live or work together.
The most common species of ladybird in the UK.
Stag Beetles are the largest beetle in the UK, growing up to 8 cm long. Unfortunately they are becoming harder to find as there aren't very many of them anymore.
Rose Chafer Beetles enjoy eating flowers, especially roses.
These beetles can be found living on mint plants.
Musk Beetles are a type of longhorn beetle. They have long bodies and super long antennae.
A Lily Beetle is a type of leaf beetle. They enjoy eating lily plants.
This is a Green Shield Beetle, they come in other colours too. Their body is the shape of a shield.
When beetles are born they hatch out of eggs. But they don’t start life as beetles! Like many types of insects they go through metamorphosis.
When beetles are born they are larvae, unlike some insects these larvae have eyes and most have legs too. These larvae eat as much as they can to get bigger. When they are ready they then go into their pupa stage of the lifecycle. Some beetles form a cocoon, and some transform hidden away in places such as the soil. Some beetles, such as ladybirds, even attach themselves to leaves by their tail, a bit like butterflies do before they surround themselves in a cocoon. Once they have transformed they then emerge as an adult beetle.
The length of each stage of metamorphosis is different depending on the species of beetle. For example, stag beetles can spend several years as larvae before transforming, while other species complete their whole lifecycle in just a few weeks.
Ladybirds
Ladybirds are a type of beetle. There are over five thousand different species of ladybirds that can be found almost all over the world. They can be different sizes and colours, such as red, orange and yellow. These bright colours are a warning to try and discourage predators from eating them. Different species of ladybird have different numbers of spots, while some don’t even have any. A few even have stripes!
The most common species of ladybird in this county is the Seven Spotted Ladybird. It is usually bright red, although sometimes it’s a bit more orange, and has seven black spots on its shell.
Lots of people like ladybirds as they don’t eat plants, unlike lots of other minibeasts. Ladybirds actually eat aphids, a tiny insect that does eat plants!
What we've learnt...
Beetles are insects. They are invertebrates with three parts to their body, six legs, and two pairs of wings, one of which forms a hard shell on their body.
Beetles, like many insects go through metamorphosis.
There are more species of beetle than any other type of insects in the world.
Ladybirds are a type of beetle. There are lots of different species, the most common in the UK is the Seven Spotted Ladybird.
Beetles are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores, depending on the species.
Test your knowledge...
Beetles Quiz
If you click the correct answer the box will turn green. If its the wrong answer it will turn red and then show you what the correct answer was. Make sure you read/listen to the questions carefully!
#1. What is the most common ladybird in the UK?
#2. Do ladybird larvae have legs?
#3. What is the biggest species of beetle in the UK?
#4. Are ladybirds carnivores?
#5. Do beetles go through metamorphosis?
Results
I really hope you have enjoyed learning all about beetles, with me Flash!
Question Time...
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