30+ Interesting Facts About Beetles
There are more than 400,000 species of beetles, which makes it the largest order in insects. The estimated number of total beetle species is between 1 and 2 million (an average of 1.5 million). There are more than 80,000 species of weevils, and they constitute the largest family of beetles. The smallest suborder of beetles is Archostemata, which has fewer than 50 known species. The fire chaser beetle can spot a fire 80 miles away. These insects prefer forest fires because they lay eggs in forests with freshly burnt trees. They detect fire quickly thanks to infrared receptors in their thorax. ( Source ) Dermetids, commonly known as flesh-eating beetles , eat the flesh of carcasses without damaging the skeleton. They assist in forensic cases where chemicals can damage bones. ( Source ) A species of Australian tiger beetle is the fastest insect on earth. It can run at 5.6 mph (9 km/h). This insect cannot see anything while runnin...