Subclass Pterygota:
Pterous (winged) insects, develop by metamorphosis
Division Endopterygota
(endo = inner; pteron = wing)
Neuropteroid orders
(neuron = nerve; pteron = wing)
Order Coleoptera
(koleos = sheath; pteron = wing)
COMMON NAME: Beetles
QUICK DESCRIPTION: The front pair of wings in beetles are very hard and are used for protection, not for flying. Some beetles use their back wings for flying, but they are generally clumsy in the air. The body size and antennae vary greatly between species, but most beetles have large eyes and chewing mouthparts. Their larvae are called grubs, and while they vary in size, shape and colour, they all have biting mouthparts. (The Grain beetle is Bug-of-the-Month for January, and the June beetle is Bug-of-the-Month for July (strange, but true).)
MINUTE DETAILS: Minute to very large insects; head with chewing mouthparts and extremely variable antennae, eyes present or absent; prothorax large and freely movable, fore wings modified into rigid elytra which usually meet middorsally and cover most of the abdomen, hind wings membranous and usually folded beneath elytra, occasionally reduced or absent; abdomen varied.
Larvae with a distinct head and biting mouthparts, with or without thoracic legs, only rarely with prolegs.
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