 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NATURE
|
 |
|
 |
MISSED A PROGRAMME?
Go to the Listen Again page |
|
|
|
|
|
|
PROGRAMME INFO |
|
|
|
|
|
NatureÌýoffersÌýa window on global natural history, providing a unique insight into the natural world, the environment, and the magnificent creatures that inhabit it.
nhuradio@bbc.co.uk |
|
|
|
|
LISTEN AGAIN Ìý30 min |
|
|
|
 |
PRESENTER |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
"Nature is full of surprises, so the programme can investigate fascinating and challenging areas in
our relations with the natural world without being too technical or preachy. My job is brilliant because, as a link between the listener and the subject, I can discover new information and ideas which help people make up their own minds on important issues."
Paul Evans |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PROGRAMME DETAILS |
|
|
|
 |
|
Blue ground beetles
Picture taken by |
The Beetles: Here, There and Everywhere
Beetles are a large group of insects, the largest order in the animal kingdom.Ìý Unlike other flying insects, their front pair of wings have horny wing cases which give them protection.Ìý They've been so successful because whilst being protected by a shell they can also fly away if they need to.Ìý
In the UK there are 4,000 identified species, with 400,000 species of beetles found worldwide.Ìý They have made use of every available habitat from the driest desert to freshwater, and have exploited all possible sources of food - from animal corpses to fresh slugs, from the dry oak timbers in our homes to dessicated pieces of their own kind found in museum collections.Ìý
While some beetles can measure just a few millimeters long, the rhinoceros and hercules beetle can measure 10 to 16 centimeters in length and their names are a true reflection of their power and strength.
There are still many species of beetles yet to be described and found in the world but loss of tropical rainforest and fluctuating climatic conditions could mean many will not be discovered before they are lost. |
|
|
RELATED LINKS
More information on theÌý
More information onÌý
s
The 91Èȱ¬ is not responsible for the content of external websites
|
|
|
|
|
|
