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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. 12 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.
EYE SPY DRAGONFLY Dragonflies are one of the oldest types of insect. They first appeared in the Carboniferous period, around 320 million years ago and way before dinosaurs walked on Earth. These ancient insects were much larger than modern-day dragonflies, and some fossilised examples have been found with wingspans of close to a metre! How did the dragonfly get its name A dragonfly dentist would soon be able to tell you! Dragonflies belong to the family Odonata, which means ‘toothed jaw’. Imagine how scary these powerful jaws must look to an unsuspecting prey insect. In the Middle Ages, flies had a bad name. The term dragonfly probably reflects this negative attitude towards flies. You may also hear the dragonfly being referred to by one of these other names, none of which are very flattering: adder bolt, snake doctor, mosquito hawk, devil’s riding horse, horse stinger and devil’s darning needle. What do dragonflies eat A dragonfly meal typically consists of any of the following: gnats, mosquitoes, midges, wasps, flies, butterflies and even smaller dragonflies. Adult dragonflies catch their prey in flight, seizing it with their hairy legs and chewing Dragonflies it with their powerful jaws. Despite being don’t sting. such fearsome predators, dragonflies don’t sting, and will only try to bite a human if they are being held captive. 13 Note the dragonfly’s large eyes and powerful jaws. FACT FILE One of the largest dragonflies, Megaloprepus coerulatus, has a wingspan of 19 cm (7 1 ⁄2 in.).
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GLOSSARY Honeycomb A waxy structure
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INDEX African honeybee 43 African s
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