any small beetle of the family Scolytidae , which bore tunnels in the bark and wood of trees, causing great damage . They are closely related to the weevils

any of a number of beetles and weevils attacking legumes , esp. the Mexican bean beetle

a European beetle , Trichodes apiarius , that is often parasitic in beehives : family Cleridae

any of the various beetles of the family Scarabaeidae and related families that feed on or breed in dung

any of numerous click beetles of the genus Pyrophorus , of tropical America, having luminous reddish or greenish spots on the body

any small common beetle of the genera Phyllotreta , Chalcoides , etc, having enlarged hind legs and capable of jumping : family Chrysomelidae . The larvae of many species are very destructive to turnips and other cruciferous vegetables

any American beetle of the family Chrysomelidae having a bright metallic lustre

any of a large family of beetles ( Chrysomelidae ) that includes more than 25,000 species, mostly leaf feeders and mostly brightly coloured , with a metallic sheen . It includes the notorious Colorado beetle , the bloody-nosed beetle , and the flea beetles ( Phyllotreta species), which attack young cabbage plants

any of various Old World scarabaeid beetles , esp Melolontha melolontha of Europe, whose larvae feed on crops and grasses

any of various beetles of the family Meloidae that exude an oily evil-smelling blood from their joints, which deters enemies

a very common beetle , Byrrhus pilula , typical of the family Byrrhidae, that can feign death by withdrawing legs and antennae into grooves underneath the oval body

any beetle of the family Staphylinidae , characterized by very short elytra and an elongated body: typically they are of carnivorous or scavenging habits

→ bean weevil

any lamellicorn beetle of the family Lucanidae , the males of which have large branched mandibles

any beetle of the family Dermestidae, whose members are destructive at both larval and adult stages to a wide range of stored organic materials such as wool , fur , feathers , and meat. They include the bacon ( or larder ), cabinet , carpet , leather , and museum beetles

having bushy or overhanging eyebrows

a social occasion at which a progressive series of games of beetle is played

another name for the oriental cockroach

any of various beetles of the genus Anthrenus, the larvae of which feed on carpets , furnishing fabrics , etc: family Dermestidae

any beetle of the family Elateridae, which have the ability to right themselves with a snapping movement when placed on their backs

any of the aquatic predatory beetles of the widely distributed family Dytiscidae, characterized by flattened hindlegs adapted for swimming and diving

any of several brown darkling beetles , esp. of the genus Tribolium , that infest , breed in, feed on, and often pollute flour , stored grain , and other stored produce

any beetle of the family Carabidae, often found under logs , stones, etc, having long legs and a dark coloration

a dermestid beetle ( Trogoderma granarium ) native to S and SE Asia, now a destructive grain pest in much of the world

a small, mostly black dermestid beetle ( Dermestes lardarius ) whose larvae feed on dead animal matter, cheese , etc.

any beetle of the family Dermestidae, whose members are destructive at both larval and adult stages to a wide range of stored organic materials such as wool, fur , feathers , and meat. They include the bacon ( or larder ), cabinet , carpet , leather , and museum beetles

→ Colorado beetle

→ weevil

any active predatory beetle of the family Cicindelidae, chiefly of warm dry regions, having powerful mandibles and long legs

any of various beetles of the families Dysticidae, Hydrophilidae, etc, that live most of the time in freshwater ponds , rivers , etc

any of various small beetles of the genera Anisandrus, Xyleborus, etc, that bore tunnels into solid wood, feeding on fungi growing in the tunnels: family Scolytidae (bark beetles)

a Japanese scarabaeid beetle , Anomala orientalis, introduced into Hawaii and the northeastern US: a serious pest of sugar cane and cereal crops because it destroys the roots

any beetle of the family Meloidae , many of which produce a secretion that blisters the skin

the hairy larva of a carpet beetle ( Anthrenus scrophulariae ), harmful to furs and woolens

a beetle of the genus Necrophorous , which buries the dead bodies of small animals by excavating beneath them, using the corpses as food for themselves and their larvae : family Silphidae

any beetle of the family Dermestidae, whose members are destructive at both larval and adult stages to a wide range of stored organic materials such as wool, fur , feathers , and meat. They include the bacon ( or larder ), cabinet , carpet , leather , and museum beetles

any of various large N temperate beetles of the family Pyrochroidae, such as Pyrochroa serraticornis, typically scarlet or partly scarlet in colour

any beetle of the family Silphidae that track carrion by a keen sense of smell

a black-and-yellow beetle , Leptinotarsa decemlineata, that is a serious pest of potatoes , feeding on the leaves: family Chrysomelidae

any of a family (Tenebrionidae) of sluggish , dark beetles that feed on plants at night

any very large tropical scarabaeid beetle of the genus Goliathus, esp G . giganteus of Africa, which may grow to a length of 20 centimetres

a very large tropical American scarabaeid beetle , Dynastes hercules : the male has two large anterior curved horns

a scarabaeid beetle , Popillia japonica , that eats the leaves and fruits of various plants: accidentally introduced into the US from Japan

any beetle of the family Dermestidae, whose members are destructive at both larval and adult stages to a wide range of stored organic materials such as wool, fur , feathers , and meat. They include the bacon ( or larder ), cabinet , carpet , leather , and museum beetles

any beetle of the family Cerambycidae, having a long narrow body, long legs, and long antennae

→ click beetle

a yellowish-red cantharid beetle , Rhagonycha fulva, having a somewhat elongated body

a metallic-coloured leaf beetle of the genus Cassida, in which the elytra and terga cover the body like a shell

either of two leaf beetles of the genus Crioceris that feed on the asparagus plant in both the larval and adult stages

any of various small carabid beetles of the genus Brachinus , esp B. crepitans of Europe, which defend themselves by ejecting a jet of volatile fluid