Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group
Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Brachys aerosus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Coleoptera is the largest order of insects with over 400,000 described species, representing ~25% of all known animal species and ~40% of all insects. In the U.S. alone, nearly 30,000 beetle species have been identified.
Ecological role of the group
Beetles are prominent decomposers, especially in forests, breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients. As predators, they reduce populations of pest insects. Many species are also important pollinators of flowering plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Beetles have major economic significance: leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) and weevils (Curculionoidea) are among the most destructive agricultural pests globally, costing billions annually, while predatory species like ladybugs provide natural pest control.
Recorded sources for this group: Britannica, Smithsonian, NCSU Entomology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
(c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug(c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug(c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug(c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug(c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug(c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug(c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug(c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug
Photo credits: (c) Stuart Tingley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stuart Tingley | (c) Mike Quinn, San Marcos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mike Quinn, San Marcos | (c) b_coulter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by b_coulter | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Sara Simpkins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Simpkins | (c) Stephen Luk, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stephen Luk | (c) Michael H. King, all rights reserved | (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug
