© 2010 Universal Uclick Behold the Beautiful...

© 2010 Universal Uclick

release dates: July 17-23 29-1 (10)

from The Mini Page © 2010 Universal UclickColorful and Strange

Behold the Beautiful Beetle!

Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®.

Have you watched lightning bugs sparkling at night or ladybugs on a leaf? You have been watching beetles. Beetles are insects with hardened wing covers and chewing mouth parts. One out of every four species, or types, of living creatures on Earth is a beetle. The Mini Page talked with a beetle expert to learn more about these fascinating insects.Wing covers Beetles’ hardened wing covers protect them like a suit of armor. They help keep them safe from predators, or animals that want to eat them. Wing covers also trap moisture inside beetles’ bodies. This helps keep them from drying out.

Chewing mouth parts Beetles’ mouths are designed for chewing and biting. They might use their powerful mouths to grab their prey, bite it and chew it up. This is different from many other insects that suck up their food instead. Beetles may also use their strong mouth parts to chew holes in trees, crops and even carpets.

Billions of beetles Experts say there are about 400,000 different species of beetles. They are on every continent except Antarctica. The warm, wet tropics are especially rich habitats for beetles. More species live there than anywhere else. However, people are destroying the tropical forests where beetles live so quickly that there are probably hundreds of thousands more species we may never discover. One entire species of beetle can live on one single tree and nowhere else. Or one entire species may live only on the side of one mountain. Since many beetles can live only in one habitat, such as a tree, they can’t survive when they lose their homes.

Asian lady beetle

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Metallic leaf chafer, a type of scarab

A carabid beetle eats potato beetle eggs.

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Giraffe stag beetle (left), Hercules beetle, a type of scarab (right), king stag beetle (bottom)

from The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick

29-2 (10); release dates: July 17-23®

Beetle Metamorphosis

Words that remind us of beetles are hidden n the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you can find: BRIGHT, COLORS, DAY, EAT, EGG, EGYPTIAN, GRUB, HABITAT, HELP, INSECTS, LARVA, LAY, LEG, METAMORPHOSIS, MOUNTAIN, MOUTH, PUPA, RECYCLERS, SCARAB, SPECIES, SUN, TREE, TROPICS, WINGS.

Beetles try ’nfind

Habitat loss really bugs me!

E S B U R G S R E L C Y C E R G I C L E G N I A T N U O M S Y H N A S G N I W H T U O M P P A P S R E S D S R O L O C E T B P L E A A U A A V R A L C I I U L E C B T N Y E E R T I A T P A V H T S C I P O R T E N A A Y G G E S T H G I R B S S T S I S O H P R O M A T E M


Basset Brown

the news

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ready resourcesfrom The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick

The Mini Page provides ideas for websites, books or other resources that will help you learn more about this week’s topics.On the Web: • www.museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/

Scarabs-for-Kids/home.html • www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Coleoptera/ • www.dnr.wisconsin.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/

index.htmAt the library: • “Nature Close-Up: Beetles” by Elaine Pascoe • “Beetles” by Shane F. McEvey


Growing up in stages Beetles are a kind of shape-shifter. They take four different forms as they go through their lives. This process is called metamorphosis (me-tuh-MORE-fuh-sus).

1. Beetles begin life as eggs. Most females lay the eggs in their habitat, which can

range from a tree trunk, to a dead animal, to a ball of animal poop. 2. The larva hatches from the egg. It usually lives by eating the material the mom laid its egg in. Larvae look like worms with legs and a head. They have no wings.

Life of a beetle A beetle often lives much longer in its younger stages than in its adult stage. A larva could live for weeks to more than a year. A pupa might also live for many months. Adults live from weeks to months, depending on the kind of beetle and where it lives. The larvae, also known as grubs, usually eat the most. It is at this stage that beetles often cause the most damage to crops and trees. Beetles grow throughout the larval stage. Larvae shed their outside skeletons several times as they get bigger.

3. The pupa (PYOO-puh) needs to be protected by a covering. It can’t get away from predators. Some beetle pupae might have little spikes or hairs to protect them. Some form a leaf covering or

dig a tiny room underground. Others might make a tough baglike covering from fluids in their bodies. 4. Inside the covering, the pupa changes to an adult. The adult then crawls out of its protective covering.

Asian longhorned beetle larvae

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Asian longhorned beetle pupa

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Adult Asian longhorned beetle

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This adult pink lady beetle is eating the eggs of a Colorado potato beetle.

® 29-3 (10); release dates: July 17-23

Rookie Cookie’s RecipePeach Berry Smoothie



Meet Jaden Smith Jaden Smith stars as Dre in the movie “The Karate Kid.” He has acted in movies such as the remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “The Pursuit of Happyness.” He has appeared in TV shows such as Disney’s “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.” When he was 5, he appeared in his family’s TV series, “All of Us.”

Jaden, 12, was born in Los Angeles. His parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, are both actors. He and his sister, Willow, serve as youth ambassadors for Project Zambi, which helps children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.

You’ll need:• 2 cups fresh peaches (with or without peel)• 1 cup strawberries• 8 ounces low-fat plain yogurt• 1 cup fruit juice (any flavor)• 1 cup ice cubesWhat to do:1. Wash and cut up fruit into chunks.2. Place all ingredients in large blender.3. Process until smooth and creamy. Makes 4 servings.You will need an adult’s help with this recipe.


Barry: What is a beetle’s favorite musical instrument? Betty: The drum!

Beatrice: What is the best choice of dog for a beetle?

Ben: A beagle!

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All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category?

Beverly: What musical group’s songs do beetles listen to the most?

Bob: The Beatles!Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®.

Mini Spy . . .Mini Spy is looking for beetles in her neighborhood. Here’s another one! See if you can find: • ice cream cone• fish • number 7 • letter A • heart• owl • kite • chicken • duck• frog • ruler • bell • number 3• word MINI • cat


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The Mini Page’s popular series of issues about each state is collected here in a 156-page softcover book. Conveniently spiral-bound for ease of use, this invaluable resource contains A-to-Z facts about each state, along with the District of Columbia. Illustrated with colorful photographs and art, and complete with updated information, The Mini Page Book of States will be a favorite in classrooms and homes for years to come.

NEW!

To order, send $15.99 ($19.99 Canada) plus $5 postage and handling for each copy. Make check or money order (U.S. funds only) payable to Universal Uclick. Send to The Mini Page Book of States, Universal Uclick, P.O. Box 6814, Leawood, KS 66206. Or call toll-free 800-591-2097 or go to www.smartwarehousing.com. Please send ______ copies of The Mini Page Book of States (Item #0-7407-8549-4) at $20.99 each, total cost. (Bulk discount information available upon request.)Name: _____________________________________________Address: ____________________________________________City: ______________________________________________State: __________________________ Zip: ________________

The Mini Page® Book of States


29-4 (10); release dates: July 17-23®

Beetles and People


The Mini Page StaffBetty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist

The important scarab Scarabs (SKA-rubs) make up one family of beetles, with about 35,000 species. Scarabs are nature’s recyclers. They eat dung, or poop, and dead animals and plants. Dung beetles like waste from animals such as camels and cattle. They pull it down under the ground and lay their eggs in it. When the beetles hatch, they eat the dung, recycling it. If dung beetles didn’t recycle waste, it would stay for years, smothering the grass and plant life. In one pile of elephant poop in Africa, there might be 80 different species of dung beetles.

Pests and helpers Many beetles do a lot of damage. They can destroy forests and crops. Others help people. Some, such as ladybugs, eat other insect pests. Some people even eat beetles! Many different types of beetles feed on and bury dead animals, recycling them. For example, one kind might feed only on rotting flesh. Another might feed on bones. Scientists use beetles to clean the flesh off animal skeletons they want to study.

The sacred scarab Ancient Egyptians believed the scarab beetle was sacred. When they saw dung beetles popping out of the ground 5,000 years ago, it looked as if the beetles were appearing out of nowhere. The beetle pushing its ball of dung reminded them of their god Ra moving the sun across the sky each day. Egyptians wore scarabs as holy charms. Models of scarabs were used to replace the heart in mummies. Scarabs stand out in the world of beetles. Many have bright metallic colors or giant horns.

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This Asian longhorned beetle looks like an alien invader, which in a way it is. It was originally from China, but has come to the eastern United States. It makes holes in hardwood trees such as maples. This causes too much sap to flow out, and after a time, the trees die.When a plant or animal comes from somewhere else and hurts the new ecosystem, it is called an invasive species.

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This dung beetle rolls a ball of poop. This is the type of beetle that the ancient Egyptians believed was sacred.

The Mini Page thanks Dr. Brett Ratcliffe, curator, Division of Entomology at the University of Nebraska State Museum, for help with this issue.

Look through your newspaper for stories and ads about insects.

photo by Johnnie Chong, used by permission, courtesy University of Nebraska State Museum

These huge elephant beetles are a type of scarab.

Next week, The Mini Page is about mythological creatures.

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The caterpillar hunter beetle helps control the gypsy moth caterpillar. Gypsy moth caterpillars are attacking U.S. forests.

release dates: July 17-23 29-5 (10)

(Note to Editor: Above is copy block for Page 3, Issue 29, to be used in place of ad if desired.)



Supersport: Mike RichardsHeight: 5-11 Birthdate: 2-11-85Weight: 195 Hometown: Kenora, Ontario, Canada The “C” stitched on Mike Richards’ jersey stands for “Captain.” It’s a title the Philadelphia Flyers center earned two seasons ago, and he excels as a leader. He is all over the ice, playing with body-banging aggression.

In short, Richards rocks. And he is a big reason the amazing Flyers came back from the brink of elimination to win the Eastern Conference championship and land in the Stanley Cup finals. In the 2010 NHL playoffs, Richards scored 23 points on seven goals and 16 assists. During the regular season, he netted 62 points on 31 goals and 31 assists. Not surprising. “Richie” was voted the Flyers’ Most Valuable Player in 2008 and 2009. He inspires his teammates with his hustle, skill and never-say-die attitude. Richards, 25, still has some kid in him. He lists Ninja Turtles as his favorite video game and “Transformers” as his favorite movie.

(Note to Editor: Above is the Standards for Issue 29.)

Standards Spotlight: Behold the Beautiful Beetle

Mini Page activities meet many state and national educational standards. Each week we identify standards that relate to The Mini Page’s content and offer activities that will help your students reach them.

This week’s standard:• Students understand the characteristics and life cycles of organisms.

(Science: Life Science)Activities:1. Draw a beetle on a piece of paper. Paste newspapers words that apply to

beetles on your drawing.2. In the newspaper, circle names of beetles or other insects. (Don’t forget sports

teams.)3. Divide a paper into two columns. On one side, write useful things beetles do.

On the other, write destructive things.4. How are these related to beetles: (a) tropical areas, (b) wing covers, (c) ancient

Egyptians, and (d) scientists?5. Learn more about one of the beetles in today’s Mini Page. Where is it found?

What does it eat? How many are there? Write a paragraph about the beetle.(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)

®from The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick

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by Betty Debnam

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(Note to Editor: Above is camera-ready, one column-by-31/2-inch ad promoting Issue 29.)

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