Biota

Exploring Nature

Order Coleoptera

Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Arthropoda > Class: Insecta > Order: Coleoptera

Beetles are a group of insects that form the order Coleoptera. They are the largest group of insects with over 300,000 species, a quarter of all known living species. They live in most climates and can survive extreme dry or wet. They can vary in size from less than a millimetre to more than 200 mm. Around 4000 species can be found in the UK.

Most beetles can fly although they spend most of their time on the ground or on vegetation. They have 2 pairs of wings with the front pair hardened into wing-cases, elytra, hiding the rear pair. Some beetles are predators and other are plant eaters or scavengers.

Classification

The order is divided into numerous superfamilies and families so I have only listed the families where I have photos of one or more species.

Click, Firefly, and Soldier Beetles (Elateroidea)

  • Family Cantharidae (Soldier beetles)
    • Cantharis rustica, Rustic sailor beetle (UK)
    • Rhagonycha fulva, Common Red Soldier Beetle (UK)

Darkling Beetles and Allies (Tenebrionoidea)

  • Family Oedemeridae (False Blister Beetles)
    • Oedemera nobilis, Swollen-thighed beetle  (France)
  • Family Pyrochroidae (Fire-colored beetles)
    • Pyrochroa coccinea, Black-headed cardinal beetle

Lady, Fungus, Scavenger, and Bark Beetles (Coccinelloidea)

  • Family Coccinellidae (ladybirds)
    • Coccinella septempunctata, Seven-spot ladybird (UK)
    • Harmonia axyridis, Harlequin ladybird (UK)

Leaf Beetles and Allies (Chrysomeloidea)

  • Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf beetles)
    • Agelastica alni, Alder Leaf Beetle (UK)
    • Chrysolina bankii (Spain)
    • Chrysolina herbacea, mint leaf beetle (UK)
    • Chrysomela populi, Red Poplar Leaf Beetle (UK)

Long-horned Beetles and Allies (Cerambycoidea)

  • Family Cerambycidae (Long-horned beetles)
    • Agapanthia annularis (Spain)
    • Parandra glabra (Trinidad)
    • Pseudovadonia livida, fairy-ring longhorn beetle (UK)
    • Rutpela maculata, Spotted longhorn (UK)

Snout and Bark Beetles (Curculionoidea)

  • Family Curculionidae (true weevils)
    • Phyllobius Sp.

Rove, Ant-like Stone, and Carrion Beetles (Staphylinoidea)

  • Family Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles)
    • Ocypus olens, Devil’s Coach-horse (UK)

Scarabs, Stag Beetles, and Allies (Scarabaeoidea)

  • Family Cetoniidae
    • Trichius fasciatus, Bee beetle (Norway)
  • Family Geotrupidae (Earth-boring Scarab Beetles)
    • Anoplotrupes stercorosus, Woodland Dor beetle (UK)
    • Geotrupes stercorarius, Common Dor beetle (UK)
  • Family Lucanidae (Stag beetles)
    • Lucanus cervus, Stag Beetle (UK)
  • Family Melolonthidae (Scarabs)
    • Melolontha melolontha, Common cockchafer (UK)
  • Family Rutelidae (Shining leaf chafers)
    • Phyllopertha horticola, Garden chafer (UK)
  • Family Scarabaeidae (scarabs)
    • Cetonia aurata, rose chafer beetle (France)
    • Coelosis biloba –  a Rhinoceros Beetle (Trinidad)

Superfamilies with photos