Beetle

Adephaga

Impact on humans

Pests

There are several serious agricultural and household pests represented by the order, these include :

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is a notorious pest of potato plants. Adults mate before overwintering deep in the soil, so that when they emerge the following spring, females can lay eggs immediately, once a suitable host plant has been found. As well as potatoes, this can be any one of a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae) such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop immunity to.
• The elm bark beetles, Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus (in the family Scolytidae) attack elm trees. They are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease (the fungus Ophiostoma ulmi) as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably North America and Europe.
• The death watch beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum) is of some considerable importance as a pest of wooden structures in older buildings in Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, and always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is most usual for death watch beetle attacks to originate in timber of large dimensions, and it is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction.
• Asian long-horned beetle
• Citrus long-horned beetle

Beneficial organisms

• The larvae of lady beetles (family Coccinellidae) are often found in aphid colonies. While both adult and larval lady beetles found on crops prefer aphids, they will, if aphids are scarce, use food from other sources, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, aphid honeydew, and plant nectar.
• Large ground beetles (family Carabidae) are predators of caterpillars and, on occasion, adult weevils, whereas smaller species attack eggs, small caterpillars, and other pest insects.

Some farmers introduce beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Scarab beetles in Egyptian culture

The scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae) are coprophagous beetles.

Related Topics:
Scarab beetle - Coprophagous

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It seemed to the ancient Egyptians that young scarab beetles emerged spontaneously from the burrow where they were born. Therefore they were worshipped as "Khepri", which means "he who came forth." This creative aspect of the scarab was associated with the creator god Atum. The ray-like antennae on the beetle's head and its practice of dung-rolling caused the beetle to also carry solar symbolism. The scarab beetle god Khepri was believed to push the setting sun along the sky in the same manner as the beetle with his ball of dung.

Related Topics:
Ancient Egypt - Khepri - Atum

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. The amulets were often inscribed with a spell from the Book of the Dead which entreated the heart to, "do not stand as a witness against me."

Related Topics:
New Kingdom - Mummified

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Le Scarabée Sacré", the opening essay in Jean-Henri Fabre's famous Souvenirs Entomologiques, deals with the insect.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Collecting

The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners coleopterists. See the list of list of notable coleopterists for more information.

Related Topics:
Coleopterology - Coleopterist - List of notable coleopterists

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There is a thriving industry in the collection of wild caught species for amateur and professional collectors.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~