Beetles

Stag beetles, click beetles and rhinoceros beetles belong to the largest group of animals on the planet. One fifth of all living species on Earth are beetles! There are over 350,000 species worldwide. Beetles come in different shapes, colours and sizes. Beetles start their lives as an egg, then hatch into a larva and change (through metamorphosis) into their adult forms. Beetles, like all insects have three body parts: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. Most beetles are able to fly and have two pairs of wings that are protected by hard wing cases. Beetles and grasshoppers have similar mouth parts. They have a pair of mandibles (jaws) which they use for grasping and crushing their food or prey. Beetles often use their six legs for walking but they may be used for other things too like digging. Some beetles, like the long-legged tiger beetle, are predators and eat smaller insects. Others, like the Colorado beetle, only eat plants. Many humans see beetles as a nuisance. Some beetles destroy farm crops and others can spread disease, destroying thousands of trees. But many kinds of beetles help to recycle dead animals, dead leaves, and other animal and plant material.

Quick facts
Size: Life span: Type: 0.3 - 200 mm Weeks to years Insect

Did you know that beetles have been around for hundreds of millions of years!

Primary Leap Ltd. 2012

www.primaryleap.co.uk - Primary Resources

Score

11
07-01-06-006-s

Name: Date:

Subject: Themes Sheet: Beetles Read the information sheet about beetles on the previous page and then answer the questions.

a) What percentage of all living species are beetles? ___________ % b) How many different species of beetle are there? _______________________________ c) Name the three body parts of a beetle? _______________________________________ d) Underline the correct answer. Beetles start their lives as an: 1. adult 3. pupa 2. egg 4. larva

e) What does a beetle use its mandibles for? _____________________________________ f ) All beetles are herbivores. Is this sentence true or false? __________________ g) How many pairs of wings do most beetles have? __________________ h) Unscramble the following word. e a m p r s o t m o h i s __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ i) Beetles have similar mouth parts to which other insect? __________________________ j) How do some beetles help the environment? ______________________________________________________________________ k) Think of a beetle that you might see in your garden or in a field? ______________________________
Primary Leap Ltd. 2012 www.primaryleap.co.uk - Primary Resources