by MG Leonard
beetle
one type (or ‘order’) of insect with the front pair of wing-cases modified into hardened elytra. There are more different species of beetle than any other animal on the planet.
chitin
the material that makes up the exoskeletons of most arthropods, including insects. Chitin is one of the most important substances in nature.
coleoptera
the scientific name for beetles.
coleopterist
a scientist who studies beetles.
compound eyes
can be made up of thousands of individual visual receptors, and are common in arthropods. They enable many arthropods to see very well, but they see the world as a pixelated image – like the pixels on a computer screen.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
the blueprint for almost every living creature. It is the molecule that carries genetic information. A length of DNA is called a gene.
double helix
the shape that DNA forms when the individual components of DNA join together. It looks like a twisted ladder.
elytra (singular: elytron)
the hardened forewings of beetles that serve as protective wing-cases for the delicate, membranous hind wings underneath, which are used for flying. Some beetles can’t fly; their elytra are fused together and they don’t have hind wings.
entomologist
a scientist who studies insects.
exoskeleton
an external skeleton – a skeleton on the outside of the body, rather than on the inside like mammals. Insects have exoskeletons made largely from chitin. The exoskeleton is very strong and can be jam-packed with muscles, meaning that insects (especially beetles that have extremely tough exoskeletons) can be very strong for their size.
habitat
the type of area in which an organism lives – for example, a stag beetle’s habitat is broad-leaved woodland.
insect
in the ‘class’ insecta, with over 1.8 million different species known and more to discover. Insects have three main body parts: the head, thorax and abdomen. The head has antennae and a pair of compound eyes. Insects have six legs and many have wings. They have a complex life cycle called metamorphosis.
invertebrate
an animal that does not have a spine (backbone).
larvae (singular: larva)
immature insects. Beetle larvae are sometimes called grubs. Larvae look completely different to adult insects and often feed on different things than their parents, meaning that they don’t compete with their parents for food.
mandibles
beetles’ mouth parts. Mandibles can grasp, crush or cut food, or defend against predators and rivals.
metamorphosis
means ‘change’. It involves a total transformation of the insect between the different life stages (egg, larvae, pupae and adult or egg, nymphs and adult). For example, imagine a big, fat, cream-coloured grub: it looks nothing like an adult beetle. Many insects (including beetles) metamorphosize inside a pupa or cocoon: they enter the pupa as a grub, are blended into beetle soup, re-form as an adult beetle and break their way out of the pupa. Adult beetles never moult and, because they are encased in a hard exoskeleton that doesn’t stretch or grow, they can never grow bigger. Therefore, if you see an adult beetle, it can never grow any bigger than it is.
palps
a pair of sensory appendages, near the mouth of an insect. They are used to touch/feel and sense chemicals in the surroundings.
setae (singular: seta)
tiny hair-like projections covering parts of an insect’s body. They may be protective, can be used for defence, camouflage and adhesion (sticking to things) and can be sensitive to moisture and vibration.
species
the scientific name for an organism; helps define what type of organism something is, regardless of what language you speak. For example, across the world, Baxter will be known as Chalcosoma caucasus. However, depending on what language you speak, you will call him a different common name. The species name is always written with its ‘genus’ name in front of it and it is always typed in italics, with the genus starting with a capital letter and the species all in lower-case type. If you are writing by hand, it should all be underlined instead of italicized. See ‘Taxonomy’.
stridulation
a loud squeaking or scratching noise made by an insect rubbing its body parts together to attract a mate, as a territorial sound or warning sign.
taxonomy
the practice of identifying, describing and naming organisms. It uses a system called ‘biological classification’, with similar organisms grouped together. It starts off with a broad grouping (the ‘kingdom’) and gets more specific, with the species as the most specific group. No two species names (when combined with their genus) are the same: kingdom → phylum → class → order → family → genus → species. This system avoids the confusion caused by common names, which vary in different languages or even different households. For example, Baxter is a species of rhinoceros beetle: some people may call him an Atlas beetle, Hercules beetle or unicorn beetle, and there are lots of different species of rhinoceros beetle. So how do we know what Baxter really is? If you use biological classification, you can classify Baxter as: kingdom = animalia (animal) → phylum = arthropoda (arthropod) → class = insecta (insect) → order = coleoptera → family = scarabaeidae → genus = Chalcosoma → species = caucasus. But all you really need to say is the genus and species, so Baxter is: Chalcosoma caucasus.
thorax
the part of an insect’s body between the head and the abdomen.
transgenic
an animal can be described as transgenic if scientists have added DNA from another species.
Acknowledgements
This is the bit where I get to thank everyone who helped me deliver this story into the world. However, this isn’t just a story, it is the completion of a trilogy and the realization of a dream.
At the end of Beetle Boy I thanked every friend who didn’t laugh at me when I said ‘I’m going to write a book about beetles’, but instead helped and encouraged me.
At the end of Beetle Queen I thanked the entomologists I’d met on my travels who’ve inspired and educated me, and all the wonderful publishing companies around the world who are bringing my beetle-filled stories to new territories.
Now I’m here, at the end, I want to thank the beetles.
The last decade of my life has been characterized by my growing fascination with beetles. It began with fear and horror but has evolved into passion and respect. Welcoming these six-legged wonders into my head, my heart and my home has brought me more joy, amazement, knowledge, inspiration, delight, friendship, meaning, peace and happiness than any other single pursuit in my entire life. Beetles have changed me for the better, and I want to thank them, from the bottom of my heart. I hope they will forgive me for squealing and running away from them for thirty years. I was ignorant. I’m sorry.
The humans to whom I’ll be forever grateful are almost as multitudinous as the species of beetles on this planet. Thank you to:
My husband, Sam, who has held my hand every step of the way, has read every word I’ve ever written, who believes in me when I do not, and loves me when I am horrible. ‘We did it! We got there! Look what we made!’
Arthur and Sebastian, my bonny boys, I’m sorry I’ve been so busy and absent. Thank you for your patience, your pride and being the best sons a mother could ever wish for. I love you.
My family for supporting this crazy enterprise in so many ways, in particular Jane Sparling, Hannah Gabrielle and Charlie Sparling.
My invisible editors, Claire Rakich and Dr Sarah Beynon. These stories have your fingerprints all over them. I hope you feel a sense of ownership about them, because you’ve improved them, made them funnier (Claire) and made them entomologically accurate (Sarah).
My National Theatre family, especially those crazy cats Emma Reidy and Sam Sedgman.
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br /> My agent Kirsty McLachlan, a straight-talking kindred spirit.
The Chicken House clutch, I salute you Barry Cunningham OBE, Rachel Leyshon, Elinor Bagenal, Rachel Hickman, Jazz Bartlett, Sarah Wilson, Esther Waller, Laura Myers, Kesia Lupo and Laura Smythe.
The Riot Communications ladies, I adore you Liz Hyder, Adele Minchin, Thi Dinh and Laura Curtis.
The family of authors who’ve read my books, buoyed me up, given me advice, bought me a drink, talked me through this crazy business, thank you for your kindness and solidarity. In particular Holly Smale, Jess French, Maz Evans, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, James Nicol and Chris Riddell.
All the translators who painstakingly retell my stories in another language. We are all in the beetle storytelling business together, and I am grateful for your talent, care and passion.
The Branford Boase Award judges and all other beetle champions including Julia Eccleshare, Fiona Noble, Florentyna Martin, Tom Fletcher, Peter Smithers, Natasha Harding, Charlotte Eyre, Max Barclay, Simon Leather, Megan Shersby, Ashleigh Wiffin, Vanessa Harbour and Imogen Cooper.
The booksellers, the librarians, the teachers, the parents, the reviewers, the entomologists, the readers, and every Beetle Girl and Beetle Boy I’ve met at schools, festivals and events all over the world.
If you are hungry for more beetles then keep your eyes peeled for The Beetle Collector’s Handbook in 2018.
Thank you, all of you, and may your life be blessed with beetles.
If you want to meet real beetles visit Dr Sarah Beynon’s Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire. She’s the scientific consultant for this trilogy and helped me get over my fear of insects by taking me into her bug zoo and giving me my first beetle to hold. It’s an amazing place. Find out about it here: www.drbeynonsbugfarm.com
Here are some other brilliant organisations you should check out:
www.buglife.org.uk
www.ptes.org/stagbeetle
www.environmenttrust.co.uk
www.amentsoc.org
M. G. Leonard is an award winning, bestselling author of stories for the young of heart. She also works as a freelance Digital Media Producer for clients such as the National Theatre and Harry Potter West End, and has previously worked at the Royal Opera House and Shakespeare’s Globe. Leonard spent her early career in the music industry running Setanta Records, an independent record label, and managing bands, most notably The Divine Comedy. After leaving the music industry, she trained as an actor, dabbling in directing and producing as well as performing, before deciding to write her stories down. Leonard lives in Brighton with her husband, two sons and her pet rainbow stag beetle.
www.mgleonard.com @MGLnrd
Text © M. G. Leonard Ltd 2018
Cover illustration © Elisabet Portabella 2018
First paperback edition published in Great Britain in 2018
This electronic edition published in 2018
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Produced in the UK by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon CR0 4YY
Cover and interior design by Helen Crawford-White
Cover, chapter head and beetle illustrations by Elisabet Portabella
Interior illustrations by Karl James Mountford
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PB ISBN 978-1-910002-78-0
eISBN 978-1-911490-11-1