A Guide to the Beetles of Australia

Winner of the 2010 Whitley Medal A Guide to the Beetles of Australiais a fascinating introduction to this huge and diverse group of insects ' the Coleoptera. Beetles make up 40% of all insects. The number of known beetle species in the world ' more than 350,000 ' is more than six times the number of all vertebrate species. New beetle species are being discovered all the time. Of the 30,000 species that may occur in Australia, only 20,000 have been scientifically described. These include around 6,000 weevils (Curculionidae), 3,000 scarabs, dung beetles and chafers (Scarabaeidae) and 3,000 leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae). A Guide to the Beetles of Australiahighlights the enormous diversity of this unique insect Order. It emphasizes the environmental role of beetles, their relationships with other plants and animals and their importance to humans. Key features '¢ Treats all main families of Australian beetles '¢ Provides an introduction to beetle biology '¢ Copiously illustrated with high quality photographs