Untitled Document
 Beetles
are the group of insects with the largest
number of known species. And new species
are often discovered. So far, scientists have found
between 5 and 8 million species of beetles.
The first species of insect that could be called a beetle appeared on Earth over 300 million
years ago. And they’ve been here ever since, increasing their numbers
and adapting to climates in almost every
environment possible.
Of all the countless insects in the
world, those belonging to the beetle family
are the most numerous of any other species.
In fact, beetles are one of the most successful forms of life on Earth.
They live in every corner of the Earth
and in all kinds of weather!
These insects like to eat plants and fungi. They also like to
eat animal feces. And they break down animal and plant
debris. In fact, they are
very beneficial to us. They help
make the Earth a clean place to live by eating lots of dung! So when
you happen to see a beetle, don’t
forget to say “thank you!”
The Goliath beetle is the biggest insect in the
world and it is one of the heaviest flying insects.
There are lots of huge insects in the world.
And many insects are longer than the Goliath beetle.
The reason the Goliath beetle wins the title of world’s biggest insect
is because of its weight. Of all the insects
discovered so far, the Goliath beetle is the world’s record holder for size. They
have been known to grow up to 13 centimeters
and can weigh up to 100 grams. Currently, there are 5 known
species of Goliath beetle. All of these gigantic beetles are native to Africa.
The female Goliath beetle lays
her eggs on rotting wood. When the larvae
hatch, they feed on this
dead wood. By feeding on
dead plants, they are recycling this material by returning the nutrients to the soil. The larvae also feed
on other insects. After spending a few months in the larval stage, the larva spins a cocoon where
it will spend many months while it is in the pupa stage. Adult beetles
usually have patterns of black and white. But some of them are marked
with yellow and brown. The adults live only a few months. |
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