The Ultimate Beetle Quiz

There are more beetle species than any other insect: 300,000 species; 30,000 of them in North America.

A beetle has specialized and extremely durable forewings (outer wings) that form a protective covering, called an elytra.

A beetle's forewings are heavy and thorny, unlike those of a bug, which are overlaid with gauzy tips.

A beetle's hindwings are thin and membranous. For protection, they are encased by the forewings.

A beetle flies by raising its forewings and unfolding its hindwings, which do most of the work. The beating wings make a whirring or humming sound.

Beetles who don't fly have forewings that are fused together across the midline of the back. They compensate by being fast runners.

Beetles consume food by biting, unlike bugs, which have sucking beaks. In fact, the name beetle is derived from the Anglo Saxon word 'bitn', which means 'to bite.'

Beetles have three pairs of legs, either suitable for swimming, digging or running, depending on the species.

The longest beetle reaches up to five or six inches in length.

The goliath beetle, the heaviest beetle known to man, weighs two pounds. It is native to Africa.

Most beetles are destructive, consuming live matter like vegetables, wool and carpets, as well as other insects. Ladybugs are beneficial for plants, because they prey on plant-eating insects.

Beetles are highly adaptable creatures. They live in all parts of the world, in various climates and conditions, from rivers to deserts to mountains.

The cryptic beetle camouflages itself into tree barks and leaves. The darkling beetle is one example of a cryptic beetle.

Aside from bright and attractive colors which attract prey, some Jewel beetles have color patterns that resemble an eye, which startles predators.

To confuse its predators, the mimicry beetle mimics the behavior of other insects, such as ants and butterflies.

There are four stages in a beetle's lifecycle. Once it has gone through all four stages, it is called a complete metamorphous.

The four stages of a beetle's lifecycle are: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Some species of beetles produce several generations of beetles a year, some take up to five years to go through all these stages.

Beetle larva look like worms. As they go through the pupa stage and become adults, they molt their outer skin several times.

Underwater beetles breathe through the bubble of oxygen they trap under their elytra. They have long, oval bodies, perfect for swimming and diving.

Elephant beetles have five horns that look like tusks. They use these to protect their food supply -- sap from broken tree trunks.