Among all flying insects, beetles demonstrate the most complex wing mechanisms, involving two sets of wings: a pair of hardened forewings called elytra and a set of delicate membranous hindwings.

beetles’ wings are tucked under rigid shell covers and need to be unfurled before flight, which is not instantaneous. If the bombardier beetle’s chemical cannon is not enough to immediately ...

The team used slow-motion cameras to capture the insects in flight to develop a system that similarly expands and retracts its wings. The study revealed that beetles use elastic energy and ...

DESCRIPTION: The Comal Springs riffle beetle is an aquatic, surface-dwelling species of about two millimeters in length, with females slightly larger than males. It is reddish brown in color and has ...

Yes, real ones! The wings of jewel beetles were used to decorate fabric. Emerald green wings became a symbol of high status in India during the Mughal period (1526-1756), and western traders ...