Photographs of Greek Beetles

Beetles

"Of creatures that can fly and are bloodless, some are coleopterous or sheath-winged, for they have their wings in a sheath or shard, like the cockchafer and the dung-beetle..."

Aristotle, "The History of Animals"

Beetles belong to the order Coleoptera, a term derived from the Greek words "coleos", meaning sheath, and "pteron" (pl. "ptera"), meaning wing. In other words, as Aristotle correctly put it, some 2,500 years ago, beetles are sheath-winged insects. In effect, the wise philosopher was referring to the insects' front wings, known as elytra, which are tough and horny and, with the notable exception of the rove beetles (Staphylinidae), they usually cover the whole abdomen. It is these front wings that give beetles their armored look and make them appear wingless.

Hind wings are membranous and usually kept tucked beneath the elytra when not in use. Beetles sometimes lack hind wings altogether, in which case the elytra my be fused for extra protection.

Although most beetles can fly, they spend little time in the air, as they are, essentially, insects of the ground and vegetation. Anyway, view some nice photos and peruse interesting facts on the handsome beetles that abound the Pelion region.


		Thea 22-punctata Take a look at a picture of a mating 22-spot Ladybird couple. This is an interesting image, inasmuch as the insect is minute and is, therefore, barely visible by the naked eye!
		Coccinella 7-punctata Enjoy a nice photo of the 7-spot Ladybird, the commonest ladybird in the Pelion region, whose bright colors warn predators of foul taste.
		Capnodis tenebrionis Check out the Flatheaded Woodborer, a strange beetle responsible for the destruction of a couple of our apple-trees...
		Oryctes nasicornis Look at some nice photographs of the Rhinoceros Beetle, a bulky and strange-looking insect, that is much more common in the Pelion region than I initially thought.
		Cetonia aurata Check out the Rose Chafer, a large, handsome beetle, characterized by its shiny, metallic-green body and its bumbling, noisy flight.
		Cetonia aeruginosa Enjoy a picture of a shinny Emerald Fruit Beetle resting on a fern, just outside Horton, Pelion.
		Eulasia pareyssei View a picture of this strange little beetle, which I had a hard time identifying, as there is virtually no information about it on the Internet or in any of my Field Guides.
		Ergates faber Take a close look at this large Longhorn Beetle, which should be handled with care, as it can deliver a painful bite with its powerful jaws.
		Corymbia cordigera Browse through pictures of this handsome Longhorn Beetle, that is particularly abundant in Pelion between May and June.
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