Beetles of the World: A Natural History

by Maxwell V. L. Barclay, Patrice Bouchard

A richly illustrated guide to the astonishing variety of beetles around the world

Beetles make up about a quarter of known animal species and are arguably the most diverse group of organisms on almost 400,000 species have been formally described so far, and it is likely that this number merely scratches the surface. In Beetles of the World, Maxwell Barclay and Patrice Bouchard—two of the world’s foremost beetle experts—celebrate these remarkable creatures in all their variety, from their size and appearance to their ecological importance.

Providing concise accounts of all the major families and subfamilies of Coleoptera, Beetles of the World explores beetle anatomy, life cycle, fossil history, feeding habits, role in the food web, habitats, relationship with humans, and classification—as well as the essential part that beetles play in the global ecosystem, and the ways humans can help protect them.

Features 300 stunning color photographsPresents family profiles with a distribution map, table of information, and commentaryIncludes a comprehensive introduction that provides insight into the astonishing diversity of beetles and their histories

Genres: Animals, Biology, Nature, Nonfiction, Science

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 15, 2023

Reviews

[William Nist · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are over 400,000 classified species of beetle (so far). They are divided in about 20 families, and this book goes through each family and describes a few representatives, the normal diet, distribution, habitat, and subfamily. It is not an encyclopedia of ALL beetle species, but it does touch on all 20 families.

Beetles can be scary to some, beautiful to others, but they are essential to everyone's life on earth. They are the master recyclers of organic material, from carcasses of all creatures, to the excrement of all creatures. Think about a world without their services!

All details about their life cycles are examined from egg, then pupa and larvae then to adult. Plenty of amazing pictures. I found the book fascinating, and have developed a new found respect for these small but vital beings.

[Kam Yung Soh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book that looks that the beetles found in the world. Beetles are one of the largest group of insects known, mainly because many beetles are conspicuous with lovely colours and patterns and are the target of collectors, and this book covers all the groups of beetles.

The book starts with a general overview of the beetles, showing their anatomy, general behaviour and biology. Beetles start out as grubs, pupate, and emerge as adults. This way of living has given rise to a huge number of beetle species that has enabled them to spread out and occupy many ecological niches from the tropics to the polar regions.

Beetles have varied diets, feeding on plants, fungi and other animals, living and dead. This huge variety of diets means beetles can be found in almost every environment (including urban ones), where they can become beneficial or pests, depending on what they feed on and their relationship to man.

The book then proceeds to list down the beetles, arranged into families and subfamilies, listing down their major features, behaviours, ecology, and so on, of each family. Numerous superb photos of the beetles (both young and adults) are included, showing some beetles with splendid body ornaments, patterns and colouration. It is easy to see why many entomologists and collectors are enamoured with beetles.

This book is not the final word on beetles. Many beetle species, including their life histories, are still not known to science and future genetic studies may rearrange their taxonomy. But until the next edition of the book is released, this one sits as a good, general guide to the beetles of the world. A list of references is also given for those who wish to know more about the beetles.

[Marissa Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited about this book because I loved Spiders of the World: A Natural History. I found both portions of the book "Introduction" and "Taxonomy" to be interesting and an enjoyable read. However, I feel like the book is incomplete. A few specifics that I felt brought the book down to four stars (as opposed to Spiders of the World, which is a five in my opinion):

-There is a lot of discussion in "Introduction" about taxonomy, but the phylogenetic tree isn't introduced until page 86.
-I would like there to be more discussion on the general physiology of the beetle. There is a diagram on page 11, but there is hardly any discussion. I think this is fundamental to understanding further discussions on taxonomy.

[Andy Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many amazing beetles.