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Beetles, like other insects, have a hard outer skeleton madę of overlapping plates. These plates form a flexible suit of armor. Beetles also have hardened front wings. Thanks to their tough body design, beetles survive in just about every habitat on Earth, aside from the poles and oceans.

Why are beetles built like tanks?

Beetle defenses

How to: scare away a rival, stag-beetle style

Camouflage: One African ^,'5'¹ beetle resembles dead, velvety moss and has antennae (feelers) that look like dried twigs.

YjjfeYScary features: Longhorn beetles can put up a fight with their strong mandibles (jaws) and “horns” (antennae).

-Mimics: Some beetles look just like wasps and bees. They’re harmless—but would-be predators won’t risk being stung.

-Bad smell: A stink beetle stands on its head and sprays foul-srmelling liquid at its enemies.

I ■ Patrol your territory (the area where you hunt for food and find females to matę with).

Crunch! Brace your hind legs, lift your rival into the air, and then dump him down.

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intruder! Get ready to fight to see him off.

Poison: Blister beetles are often colorful—a warning that they are poisonous.

Playing dead: Many weevils fali to the ground and play dead. They fold their legs around their body so that they look like seeds or pieces of soil.

Apk-Run away!: Darkling ''5'* beetles make a dash for it, tiger beetles take to the air, and flea beetles leap for safety.

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w m Charge with your antlerlike jaws pointing right at him.

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5 winner! You've damaged - the intruder’s body case, I and he scuttles off.

What’s for dinner?

Some beetles are meat-eating predators, while others feast on plants. Whatever their diet, each type of beetle has a specific design of mouth parts to make the most of each meal.

A tiger beetles

strong, large jaws are perfect for slicing up insect prey.

Weevils have long snouts tipped with biting jaws for nibbling plant parts.

Blister beetles have tubelike mouthparts and sometimes suck nectar from flowers.

Large-headed beetles can crush snail shells with their powerful jaws.

Cigarette beetles

munch on tobacco leaves and other dried plant products.

The gardener’s friend, ladybugs gobble up aphids and other plant-eating pests.

Bess beetles, shown here with a beetle grub, chew up wood from old, rotting logs.

(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. Ali Rights Reserved.