Beetles

Buprestidae is a family of beetles known as jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles because of their glossy iridescent colors. The family is among the largest of the beetles, with some 15,000 species known in 450 genera. In addition, almost 100 fossil species have been described. The larger and more spectacularly colored jewel beetles are highly prized by insect collectors. The elytra of some Buprestidae species have been traditionally used in beetlewing jewellery and decoration in certain countries in Asia, like India, Thailand and Japan.

True soldier beetles (Cantharidae) are a family of beetles (Coleoptera). Their shield is soft. They feed with insects, which makes them loved by gardners, but they also eat parts of plants, like nectar and pollen.

Ground beetles have a variable length of 0.8 to 8 cm. Also their colour is variable: brown, black, sometimes metallic, but also red, yellow and green, blue and purple occur. In spite of their variation in size, they're remarkably uniform in appearance with long legs, powerful jaws and an oval shield. Their legs are built to run.

Leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) are a family of insects in the orde of beetles. They eat plants. The family includes over 35000 species in 2500 genus. In the Netherlands 319 species are recorded of which 307 residents.

The body is round with a lenght of 1 - 3 cm. The antennas are usually half as long as the body. Many species are brightfully coloured.

Scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) form a family in the order of beetles (Coleoptera).

Most species have a round, spherical body, short antennas and large sometimes shiny shields, sometimes carved and hairy. The point of the antennas is club-shaped and consists of 3-7 mobile plates. Length varies from 0,2 to 17 cm.