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Scientific Classification
Other insects are in different orders, such as the wasp (Hymenoptera) or the cockroach (Blattodea). Each one is listed differently because of different physical and genetic traits. The same is true for the beetle. There are four suborders of beetles: Adephaga, Archostemata, Myxophaga and Polyphaga. The differences between each range from numbers to physical traits. Archostemata are wood borers, considered pests in many areas. Adephaga are generally predatory beetles, like whirly-gigs. Adephaga beetles are all aquatic or semiaquatic algae eaters and quite tiny. Polyphaga are the largest suborder of beetles and comprise the majority of species. Some of them very recognizable, such as stag beetles, ladybugs and fireflies.
Physical Differences
The physical differences between beetles and other insects are easy to see when you look. For all the many variations out there, the beetle tends to look similar no matter what. They have a very hard outer skin called an exoskeleton, and their front wings have become just as tough so they shield their flying wings underneath. The three main segments of a beetle's body are the head, thorax and abdomen like other insects; however, each of these segments may be further segmented. Their mouthparts are made for chewing, not piercing, which they use to eat just about anything organic (not liquid, as other insects have to).
Life Cycle
The life cycle of all insects falls into one of two categories: complete or incomplete metamorphosis. Complete metamorphosis has four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Incomplete metamorphosis has three stages: egg, nymph and adult. The majority of non-beetles alter between the two depending on the species or type: a butterfly has a complete metamorphosis, while a silverfish's is incomplete. All beetle species undergo complete metamorphosis. Eggs are laid, sometimes brightly colored, and hatch into larva (grubs) with chewing mouthparts like the adults. They then pupate in their cases, like butterflies, before hatching out into adults.
Dietary Needs
Some forms of beetle eat plants and are considered crop-destroying pests as a result. Others prey on other insects or even the remains of the living (which includes their waste matter). The way to tell what a beetle is designed to eat is to look at its mandibles, as they will be accordingly different, just as the teeth of animals. All beetles need water. If they don't have specialized collection methods on their bodies (most usually in desert areas) or cannot drink outright, many of them take the water they need from the things that they consume.