University of Michigan Biological Station

Biology 442 - Biology of Insects

Lecture Notes - Families of Coleoptera

1. Suborder Adephaga. 1st abdominal sternum divided by hind coxae.
   1. Cicindelidae (Tiger Beetles).
      1. Size - medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Antennae in front of eyes.
         2. Often metallic.
         3. Big mandibles.
      3. Habitat. Sandy areas.
      4. Food. Predaceous as larvae and adults.
      5. Other. Larvae hide in hole in sand and surprise prey. Adults run and actively fly to catch prey.
   2. Carabidae (Ground Beetles).
      1. Size - variable.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Antennae between eyes and mandibles.
         2. Often dark colored.
      3. Habitat. On ground in all habitats.
      4. Food. Most predaceous on other insects. Some feed on snails. Adults and larvae both predaceous.
      5. Other. Usually do not fly when disturbed, run and hide under objects.
   3. Haliplidae (Crawling Water Beetles).
      1. Size - small.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Hind coxae greatly enlarged, cover almost entire abdomen.
      3. Habitat. Aquatic in ponds.
      4. Food. Larvae predaceous. Adults feed on algae.
      5. Other. Found in places with much plant growth, calm.
   4. Dytiscidae (Predaceous Diving Beetles).
      1. Size - small to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Elongate, oval, flattened body.
         2. Antennae threadlike, longer than palps.
      3. Habitat. Most aquatic places.
      4. Food. Larvae and adults predaceous.
      5. Other. Larvae have channels in jaws to inject enzymes and such back food.
   5. Gyrinidae (Whirlygig Beetles)
      1. Size - medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. 4 eyes.
         2. reduced legs with scoop-shaped tarsi.
      3. Habitat. Surface of water as adults, under water as larvae.
      4. Food. Larvae are predaceous, adults scavenge.
      5. Other. Have characteristic circular swimming pattern.
2. Suborder Polyphaga. 1st abdominal sternum not divided by hind coxae.
   1. Hydrophilidae (Water Scavenger Beetles).
      1. Size - small to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Elongate, oval, not flattened body.
         2. Antennae clubbed, shorter than palps.
         3. Often with prosternal spine.
      3. Habitat. Aquatic of all sorts.
      4. Food. Larvae are predaceous, adults scavenge.
   2. Histeridae (Hister Beetles).
      1. Size - small to medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Body shiny, black, hard.
         2. Antennae elbowed, clubbed.
      3. Habitat. Decaying things including logs, carcasses.
      4. Food. Larvae and adults predaceous.
      5. Other. Some are bark beetle predators in tunnels.
   3. Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles).
      1. Size - tiny to medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Short elytra.
         2. 7 sternites on abdomen.
      3. Habitat. Variety of decaying matter, fungi, carcasses, leaf litter.
      4. Food. Eat the decaying stuff they are in.
      5. Other. Typically run with abdomen in air.
   4. Silphidae (Carrion and Burying Beetles).
      1. Size - medium to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Lopsided club on antennae, not curlable.
         2. Tarsi 5-5-5.
         3. 2 basic body plans - Nicrophorus and Silpha.
      3. Habitat. Dead organisms.
      4. Food. Dead organisms.
      5. Other. Interesting biology of Nicrophorus.
   5. Lucanidae (Stag Beetles).
      1. Size - medium to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Lopsided club, not curlable.
         2. Tarsi 5-5-5.
         3. Large, forward projecting mandibles.
      3. Habitat. Decaying wood.
      4. Food. Decaying wood.
      5. Other. Males use large mandibles and horns to joust.
   6. Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles).
      1. Size - small to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Lopsided, curlable club.
         2. Elytra often short, exposing end of abdomen.
      3. Habitat. Variable - dung, fungi, plants, carrion, flowers.
      4. Food. Varies with habitat.
      5. Other. Many subfamilies.
   7. Buprestidae (Metallic Woodboring Beetles).
      1. Size - small to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Bullet shaped.
         2. Pronotum without backward projections.
         3. Usually metallic at least on underside.
      3. Habitat. On logs or trees or on flowers for some.
      4. Food. Dead or dying wood.
      5. Other. Fly more readily than many beetles.
   8. Elateridae (Click Beetles).
      1. Size - small to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Elongate body.
         2. Prosternal spine.
         3. Backward projections on sides of pronotum.
         4. Antennae often serrate, pectinate.
      3. Habitat. Many terrestrial habitats for adults. Larvae in roots of plants.
      4. Food. Larvae called wireworms, feed on roots of plants; adults feed on flowers and foliage.
      5. Other. Habit of clicking to turn over or when threatened.
   9. Lampyridae (Lightning bugs, Fireflies).
      1. Size - medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Soft bodied including elytra.
         2. Head concealed under pronotum.
         3. Many have light producing organ.
      3. Habitat. Wooded or sometimes open areas.
      4. Food. Larvae predaceous on snails and slugs; adults on other insects.
      5. Other. Pattern of light flashing is sexual attractant. Some females switch to attract other species of males and eat them.
   10. Cantharidae (Soldier beetles).
       1. Size - small to medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Soft bodied including elytra.
          2. Head not concealed by pronotum.
       3. Habitat. Very often on flowers in fields or woods; larvae on ground.
       4. Food. Larvae predaceous; Adults feed on pollen.
       5. Other. One very common species on goldenrod.
   11. Lycidae (Net-winged beetles).
       1. Size - medium to large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Soft bodied including elytra.
          2. Elytra reticulate.
          3. Often orange and black or blue.
       3. Habitat. Usually in woods.
       4. Food. Larvae predaceous; adults feed on decaying material.
       5. Other. Some may mimic day flying Lithosiine moth.
   12. Dermestidae (Skin beetles).
       1. Size - small to medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Clubbed antennae.
          2. Covered with hairs or scales.
          3. Pronotum same width as base of elytra.
       3. Habitat. In decaying organic materials, often carcasses, insect collections, some inside.
       4. Food. Decaying organic materials, usually quite dry.
       5. Other. Some are pests, carpet beetles. Destroy insect collections if not tended.
   13. Cleridae (Checker beetles).
       1. Size - small to medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Elongate body.
          2. Clubbed antennae.
          3. Pronotum narrower than base of elytra.
          4. Often with stiff, erect hairs.
          5. Often with checkered patterns.
       3. Habitat. On flowers or near decaying organic materials such as carcasses and logs.
       4. Food. Most predaceous on other insects as both larvae and adults, some adults feed on pollen.
   14. Nitidulidae (Sap beetles).
       1. Size - minute to small.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Clubbed antennae.
          2. Elytra often short.
          3. Often shining black with red spots.
          4. Tarsi few (3?) segmented.
       3. Habitat. On decaying organic materials such as fungi, carcasses and at fermenting sap flows or on flowers.
       4. Food. The decaying organic materials on which they are found or sap or pollen.
       5. Other. We will only deal with those that are black and red spotted.
   15. Coccinellidae (Ladybird beetles).
       1. Size - small to medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Tarsi appear 3-3-3, with pads below first 2.
          2. Small, oval body shape.
          3. Often orange with black spots or black with yellow or orange spots.
       3. Habitat. Many different terrestrial habitats, especially common in fields.
       4. Food. Both larvae and adults predaceous on aphids.
       5. Other. Sometimes used as predators in gardens.
   16. Mordellidae (Tumbling flower beetles).
       1. Size - usually small.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Humpbacked, wedge-shaped.
          2. Often black.
          3. Tarsi 5-5-4.
       3. Habitat. In decaying wood as larvae; on flowers as adults.
       4. Food. Larave eat decaying wood; adults eat pollen. A few have predaceous larvae.
       5. Other. Fall off flower if disturbed to give common name.
   17. Tenebrionidae (Darkling beetles).
       1. Size - small to large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Tarsi 5-5-4.
          2. Antennae come out from under brow ridge.
          3. 11-segmented antennae.
       3. Habitat. Often in woods, may be under bark, on fungi, etc.
       4. Food. Feed on fungi or plant materials.
       5. Other. Look like some Carabidae, but are highly variable in appearance.
   18. Meloidae (Blister beetles).
       1. Size - medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Tarsi 5-5-4.
          2. Soft bodied often including elytra.
          3. Tarsal claws deeply cleft making them appear divided.
       3. Habitat. Larvae in bee and wasp nests; adults on foliage or flowers.
       4. Food. Larvae predaceous on bee or wasp larvae; adults eat plants.
       5. Other. Females deposit eggs on flower buds; larvae hatch and are mobile, jump on bee or wasp as it visits flower; goes back to nest and feeds.
   19. Pyrochroidae (Fire-colored beetles).
       1. Size - medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Soft bodied usually including elytra.
          2. Pectinate antennae.
          3. Often with red colors.
       3. Habitat. Wooded areas.
       4. Food. Larvae under bark of decaying logs, on wood; adults on foliage and flowers.
   20. Cerambycidae (Long-horned beetles).
       1. Size - small to large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Tarsi appear 4-4-4, often with pads below first three.
          2. Eyes usually emarginate around antennal bases.
          3. Antennae longer than body usually.
          4. Body usually elongate.
       3. Habitat. Wooded areas, adults common in fields on flowers.
       4. Food. Larvae are borers in primarily woody plants, usually dead, some in herbs; adults often flower feeders.
       5. Other. Closely related to Chrysomelidae.
   21. Chrysomelidae (Leaf beetles).
       1. Size - small to medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Tarsi apparently 4-4-4, almost always with pads below first three.
          2. Eyes not emarginate.
          3. Antennae shorter than body.
          4. Body usually round or oval.
       3. Habitat. Often in fields, but also in woods and aquatic.
       4. Food. Larvae feed on many different plant parts depending on species; adults on foliage and flowers.
       5. Other. Some the most damaging insects to plants.
   22. Curculionidae (Weevils).
       1. Size - minute to medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Antennae elbowed and clubbed.
          2. Head prolonged into snout or beak.
          3. Tarsi apparently 4-4-4.
       3. Habitat. Everywhere in terrestrial environments.
       4. Food. All are phytophagous, on various plant parts, both as larvae and adults.
       5. Other. Some are bad pests, cotton boll weevil.
   23. Scolytidae (Bark and Ambrosia beetles).
       1. Size - minute to small.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Cylindrical body.
          2. Head partially concealed by pronotum.
          3. Antennae short, elbowed, clubbed.
       3. Habitat. Wooded areas.
       4. Food. Feed under bark on cambium of dead or dying trees. as larvae and adults. Ambrosia beetles bring along fungus and culture it to feed on.
       5. Other. Some are very bad pests of forests and cause extensive damage to lumber. Pheromones used for attack and sex attraction.

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