Growing Up With Coleoptera

Nancy and I were walking the trail near our house yesterday, the one that goes up the side of the hogback. It's about 3+ miles long and offers some great views and is rarely used. While walking Nancy called my attention to the black bugs scampering along the trail at our feet.

This reminded me of my years growing up. Most boys quickly learn the difference between a deer and an elk from the fathers, while out in the woods with him or camping. Some will learn the difference between a trout and a perch while fishing with Dad. Not me. I learned the difference between a predacious ground beetle and a tenebrionid. Nancy still thinks I'm making these things up when I tell her things like, "Oh, that's a tiger beetle." I think the green Tiger beetles are the most beautiful of Coleoptera. Beetles are one of the most diverse groups of insects. Their order, Coleoptera (meaning "sheathed wing"), has more species in it than any other order in the entire animal kingdom. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species), and new species.

My Dad is an entomologist. He studies insects and taught entomology, among other things at NAU. In fact, he's discovered and described many new species. I certainly don't know all the insects, but I can still tell you quite a few of them, thanks to Dad.