Mordellistena semilutea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mordellistena semilutea |
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The Mordellistena semilutea is a tiny beetle species. It belongs to a group of beetles called Mordellistena. This group is part of the larger Mordellidae family. A scientist named Ray first described this particular beetle in 1930.
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All About the Mordellistena semilutea Beetle
The Mordellistena semilutea is a type of tumbling flower beetle. These beetles are known for their unique shape and how they move. They are often found on flowers. They can jump and tumble, which helps them escape from danger.
What is a Beetle?
Beetles are a very large group of insects. They have hard front wings that protect their softer flying wings. These hard wings are called elytra. Beetles are found almost everywhere on Earth. They live in many different places. There are over 400,000 known kinds of beetles. This makes them the biggest group of animals.
Beetle Body Parts
Like all insects, beetles have three main body parts. These are the head, thorax, and abdomen. Their legs and wings are attached to the thorax. Beetles also have antennae on their heads. They use antennae to feel and smell their surroundings.
What Do Beetles Eat?
Beetles eat many different things. Some beetles eat plants. Others eat fungi or dead animals. Some beetles are even predators. This means they hunt and eat other insects. The Mordellistena semilutea beetle likely feeds on pollen and nectar from flowers. This is common for tumbling flower beetles.
Life Cycle of the Beetle
Beetles go through a complete metamorphosis. This means they change a lot during their lives. Their life cycle has four main stages.
Egg Stage
The life of a beetle starts as an egg. Female beetles lay their eggs in a safe place. This place might be on plants or in the soil. The eggs are usually very small.
Larva Stage
After hatching, the egg becomes a larva. Larvae often look like worms or grubs. This is the main feeding stage for beetles. Larvae eat a lot to grow bigger. They shed their skin several times as they grow.
Pupa Stage
Once the larva is big enough, it changes into a pupa. The pupa stage is a resting stage. During this time, the beetle transforms. It changes from a larva into an adult beetle. The pupa does not move much.
Adult Stage
Finally, the pupa changes into an adult beetle. The adult beetle's main job is to reproduce. They find a mate and lay eggs. Then the whole life cycle starts again. Adult beetles often live for only a short time.
See also
In Spanish: Mordellistena para niños
