The key difference between bugs and beetles is that bugs are a type of insect group that belong to the order Hemiptera while beetles are a type of insect group that belong to the order Coleoptera.
Insects are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates. They are the largest group in the phylum Arthropoda. They usually have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body, three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae. This group consists of more than a million species and normally represent more than half of all living organisms. Insects are divided into 25 orders. Hemiptera is an order classifying bugs. Coleopter is the largest order classifying the beetles. Bugs and beetles are two types of insects.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Bugs
3. What are Beetles
4. Similarities – Bugs and Beetles
5. Bugs vs Beetles in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Bugs vs Beetles
What are Bugs?
Bugs are a type of insect group that belongs to the order Hemiptera. All insects are classified under the class Insecta. Bugs are a part of that class. Therefore, bugs are a type of insect. Insects always have three body parts and six legs. They also typically have four wings and two antennae. Bugs have a mouth-shaped like straw or needle. True bugs have specialized mouthparts to suck juices, mostly from plant species. This is called a proboscis. It looks like a long beak and works like a straw.
Figure 01: Bugs
Bugs undergo incomplete metamorphosis. In incomplete metamorphosis, a juvenile resembles an adult. However, they are smaller and lack wings. Most bugs have a V shape to their wings when looking from above. Only a part of the forewing is hard, and the lower part is membranous. Around 60,000 species of bugs are known currently worldwide. Aphids, cicadas, stink bugs, bed bugs, and water bugs are all part of order Hemiptera, and they are true bugs.
What are Beetles?
Beetles are insects that belong to the order of Coleoptera. Their front wings are hardened into wing-cases. They are called elytra. This distinguishes them from most other insects. Coleoptera order has about 400,000 species. It is the largest order of insects. Beetles possess chewing mouthparts to eat anything from wood to rotting fungi.
Figure 02: Beetles
The life cycle of beetles shows complete metamorphosis. This means it has four very distinctive stages: egg, larval, pupal, and adult. Some beetles have marked sexual dimorphism. The males possess enormously enlarged mandibles they use to fight with other males. Many beetles are aposematic, showing that they are not worth attacking or eating by the predators. Moreover, many beetles show effective camouflage techniques. Beetles act as major pests in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture. Some examples of pests are boll weevil of cotton, Colorado potato beetle, coconut hispine beetle, and mountain pine beetles.
What are the Similarities Between Bugs and Beetles?
- Bugs and beetles are two types of insects.
- They belong to the phylum Arthropoda.
- Their class is Insecta.
- Both are agricultural pests.
- They are winged creatures.
- Both show metamorphosis.
- They inhabit both terrestrial and aquatic habitats.
What is the Difference Between Bugs and Beetles?
Bugs are a type of insect group that belong to the order Hemiptera while beetles are a type of insect group that belong to the order Coleoptera. So, this is the key difference between bugs and beetles. Furthermore, bugs undergo incomplete metamorphosis, while beetles undergo complete metamorphosis.
The following infographic lists the differences between bugs and beetles in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Bugs vs Beetles
Insects are the largest group in the phylum Arthropoda. Insects contain more than a million described species. Bugs and beetles are both insects. Bugs belong to the order Hemiptera while beetles belong to the order Coleoptera. Bugs show incomplete metamorphosis, while beetles show complete metamorphosis. Thus, this summarizes the difference between bugs and beetles.
Reference:
1. “General Facts about Insects and Bugs.” Scholastic.
2. “Coleopteran.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Bug-reproduction-bugs-insects-4861370” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Beetle Ladybird Ladybug Leaf Insect Animal” (CC0) via MaxPixel