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It's a Beetle's World

By Paramita Kar

Have you ever had winged visitors to your room on a rainy day, that are black, shiny and button-like, and which fall to the ground with a distinct tapping sound? You might also be familiar with those cute-looking insects with bright orange bodies dotted with black, called Ladybirds, hovering over flowers and tender leaves. There also might have been times when an unlucky one splats on your windshield or gets crunched underfoot. Well, these are all different kinds of BEETLES -- creatures that can be called evolution's biggest success story.

When the noted scientist and philosopher J. B. S. Haldane was asked what his studies on nature had revealed about god, he replied, "An inordinate fondness for beetles"! Indeed, it might sound unbelievable if one says that it is not the huge elephants or mighty lions that dominate wildlife communities, but these seemingly inconspicuous insects. But its true that these ubiquitous beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera – the largest order in the animal kingdom, constitute almost a fourth of all animal species found on earth. This group also includes more species than the entire plant kingdom does, and scientists believe that many more are yet to be discovered!

Such a large order encompasses the bizarre, the destructive, the attractive, and the beneficial. You will be amazed to know the strange ways of life and habits of some beetles. These marvels of diversity can be found almost everywhere and under all conditions -- in rain forests, in ice fields, in sandy deserts and even under water!