Brown Beetle

Interesting Facts about the Brown Beetle

The brown beetle is both an actual species, as well as an umbrella term that encompasses many specific species.  In other words, a person could be talking about a beetle they saw in the backyard that was brown, therefore, being a “brown beetle” but if you were to conduct a search through any search engine, using those words as key phrases, they would also be directed to information about a real “Brown Beetle”.

This is why this particular insect is somewhat confusing.  For this reason, we wanted to provide some interesting facts about this insect.  For starters, the beetle is among the greatest number of insect groups known.  These insects have two sets of wings although some appear to have just one set by body design.

The pair of wings in the front part of the body consists of chitine, a tough substance but they do not take the insect airborne.  Instead, the front wings serve as a shield, protecting the back set of wings, which are for flying.  Keep in mind, while many types of the brown beetle have two sets of wings, some only have one.

As you look at the brown beetle, and other species, they fit into a wide range of families, with some being easily recognized and others hard to identify.  Experts believe that many beetle types have yet to be discovered.  Often, the name of the beetle goes along with the type of environment in which the insect lives or physical characteristics.  A great example is the Longhorn Beetle, which has long antennae, thus the name.

While some beetles are harmless, many others are destructive.  In fact, beetles have caused so much damage to certain woodlands and forests in the United States that national emergencies have been declared.  When in large groups, some beetles can destroy wood buildings, trees, gardens, and other structures in very little time.  When finished, the beetle goes on its way, leaving a wake of destruction.  Often, if the beetle does not find what it wants, it will simply move on until it locates whatever it is being sought, usually a food source.

The brown beetle also comes in varying sizes, shades, and again, different physical features.  Some beetles are quite large while others are so tiny they are hard to see.  In fact, people have beetles in their own garden but because of the tiny size, they have no idea they exist.  Although the brown beetle is usually one color and kind of boring, other beetles are simply beautiful.

Beetles have been around since the beginning of time but as to how long they actually live, the answer is not clear.  After all, the brown beetle, as well as other species has four distinct stages of life.  First is the egg, followed by the larva, then the pupa, and finally, the adult.  We do know that some beetles live for two years while others live for eight.

The thing to remember is that if you discover you have beetles in large numbers around your home, you should try to identify its species, especially if you find any level of destruction.  If the beetle is a common brown beetle, chances are it is harmless but other beetles, as mentioned, are destructive so in this case, you would need to take action.