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Which beetles are the largest and which are the smallest
Some large, tropical beetles can grow to be as big as a
human hand, whereas the smallest types can barely be
seen. The heaviest beetle is the adult goliath beetle, which
can measure up to 15 cm (6 in.) in length and weigh up to
100 g (4 oz) – this heavyweight is bigger than your fist!
Although thinner, some stick insects are over 30 cm (12 in.)
in length! Feather-winged beetles, on the other hand, are
the smallest beetles in the world. They can barely be seen
by the human eye and look like specks of dust.
What do beetles eat
Beetles eat all sorts of different foods, including leaves,
seeds, fruit and rotten wood. Some beetles eat fungus,
and some eat other insects. There are, however, some
beetles with a rather unusual taste for fecal matter –
that’s dung or poo. These beetles roll balls of dung with
their back legs, hence the name ‘dung beetle’. The
female beetle lays her eggs in the ball and when the
eggs hatch, the larvae’s first meal will be a feast of
dung – yummy!
A dung beetle in action.
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The goliath beetle is a real heavyweight.
Were dung beetles worshipped
The ancient Egyptians were fascinated by a type of
dung beetle known as the scarab. As scarab beetles
busily rolled balls of dung along the ground, their
bright, almost metallic colouring reminded the
Egyptians of the sun crossing Earth. The scarab symbol
was soon used as a good luck charm to ward off evil
and symbolise immortality. Keep a look out in history
books to see pictures of the scarab on Egyptian tombs
and jewellery.
The scarab beetle became a symbol of immortality to
the ancient Egyptians.