Development & Aid, Environment, Tierramerica

Life of a Coleopteron

Apr 1 2001 (IPS) - Beetles inhabit nearly the entire planet. They have one important thing in common: the hard wing shell that gives them their armored appearance. But beyond that, beetles are one of the most diverse families that exist. One other thing they share is their ''official'' name: they belong to the order ''coleoptera.''

''The beetles are the largest order including more species known to science than any other order not only in the Class of Insecta, but also in the entire animal kingdom (Animalia)… beetles constitute more than a quarter of all known animals,'' reports a website based in St. Petersburg.

Since ancient times beetles have formed a part of human culture. People have studied them and copied them in forming mythology, adornments and even fairytales. Even old Aesop used them in his fables.

Some beetles are famous for their incandescent colors, others for the extraordinary designs that adorn their wings. Some stand out because of their strength, and others due to their ability to survive, often for years, in the most adverse conditions.

One Internet site affirms there are 140 to 173 different species. Their diversity is evident, for example, in size: there are some that measure just 25 millimeters and others that reach more than 10 centimeters.

Their omnipresence on Earth even includes the Internet, where beetles are the stars of digital games, or simply the theme of unassuming directories.