Beetles are common from the arctic tundra to the tropics. They freely feel on the ground, in the soil, in the air, in caves, in water, in tree trunks and even in hot sand. The vitality of the beetles is amazing: they can go without food for months.
The beetles have a compact body, chained to a solid chitinous shell. The head, chest and abdomen from above and from the sides are protected by rigid elytra. The oral apparatus in the beetles is gnawing, and in many species the upper mandibles-mandibles are eerily large and durable saber-like curved hooks with a cutting inner edge. The beetles have well developed legs, so many of them are wonderful runners. The beetles are colored variously and for many species the metallic luster is characteristic.
Dimensions of Lilliput beetles are only 0.3-1.0 mm, and giants reach 180-220 mm! The body of the beetle larvae consists of three thoracic and ten abdominal segments. Their head is strongly thickened and has gnawing mouth parts. The shape and color of the body of the larvae depends on the way of life: secretly living sedentary, with short legs or without legs at all, chinks – white, with soft covers, and openly living – dark or painted under the color of the substrate on which they live, they have hard covers .
