Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Beetles

Beetles are the insects belonging to Order Coleoptera, Identified from other insects from the Hard fore wings which forms elytra. About 40% of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species), and new species are frequently discovered. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevilAnthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, beetles in the family Coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops.

Beetles as a source of food:  More than 1,400 insects  are known to be consumed by human beings as food in 80% of the world's nations particularly in the tropics where they grow to large sizes. Beetles belonging to 24 families and 344 species are known to be used as food, usually eaten in the larval stage, Of the 24 families 50% of them belong to long horned beetles (Cerambycidae), and June, dung and rhinoceros beetles  (Scarabaeidae).