Coleoptera

Biology

The larvae of these holometabolous insects (with complete metamorphosis) are highly variable in shape. They transform into adults by going through a pupal stage. The adult looks very different from the larva, and adults also vary greatly in their appearance.

In general, beetles overwinter as pupae or adults. Some also overwinter as larvae, but few do so as eggs.

Most of the species have one generation per year, but a number of xylophagous (wood boring) species only have one generation every two or three years.

The diet of Coleoptera is varied: some are phytophagous (plant feeders), others are zoophagous (predators) or saprophagous (detritivorous). Depending on their diet, they can be found in a variety of habitats, both aquatic and terrestrial, such as under tree bark, in forest litter, on plant foliage, flowers and fruits, as well as in caves and animal dens.

Family

Here are typical representatives of some families in this order. At least one species associated with these families is described in the site's fact sheets.

Buprestidae

• Bronze birch borer
• Golden buprestid
• Twolined chestnut borer
• Western cedar borer

Cerambycidae

• Locust borer
• Poplar borer
• Poplar gall borer
• Sugar maple borer
• Whitespotted sawyer

Chrysomelidae

No data

Cleridae

• Redbellied clerid (suggested name)

Coccinellidae

• Eyespotted lady beetle
• Lady beetle (convergent lady beetle, Mexican bean beetle, Asian lady beetle)

Curculionidae

• Ambrosia beetle
• Arborvitae weevil
• Birch and alder flea weevil
• Douglas-fir beetle
• Eastern larch beetle
• Lodgepole terminal weevil
• Mountain pine beetle
• Native elm bark beetle
• Northern pine weevil
• Pales weevil
• Poplar-and-willow borer
• Red pine cone beetle
• Seedling debarking weevil
• Spruce beetle
• Strawberry root weevil
• Striped ambrosia beetle
• Warren root collar weevil
• Western balsam bark beetle
• White pine weevil
• Willow flea weevil

Scolytidae

• Redwood bark beetle
• Western ash bark beetle