The Japanese Beetle belongs to which order?

• A. Hemiptera
• B. Coleoptera
• C. Lepidoptera
• D. Orthoptera

Answer: (B)

The Japanese beetle is a beetle, so it belongs to the order Coleoptera. Beetles are defined by having forewings hardened into protective covers called elytra that meet along a straight line down the back, shielding the membranous hind wings. They also have chewing mouthparts and undergo complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult). In the Japanese beetle, you can see these features together: the hardened elytra and chewing mandibles, along with the life cycle that includes a grub stage in the soil and an above-ground adult. The other groups differ: true bugs in Hemiptera have piercing-sucking mouthparts and partially hardened wings, Lepidoptera have scaled wings, and Orthoptera have jumping hind legs and different wing structure.