• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar


Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

  • Explore
    • Museum To Go
    • Exhibitions
    • Educators
    • Programs at the Museum
    • Tell Us About You
  • Visit
    • Buy Tickets
    • Health & Safety
    • Events
    • Shop 
    • Powdermill Nature Reserve
  • Research
    • Scientific Sections
    • Science Blogs
    • Science Videos
    • Senior Science & Research Staff
    • Museum Library
    • Scientific Publications
    • Specimen and Artifact Identification
  • Join & Give
  • Buy Tickets

Armored Advantage

A folded hindwing of this lightning bug is visible beneath a raised forewing.

As adaptations go, the hardened forewings of beetles have a long track record of success. The paired structures, known as elytra (or singularly as elytron), don’t contribute significant aerodynamic advantage to beetle flight. Because they protect the delicate hindwings under all other circumstances, however, elytra help to ensure the capability of flight whenever it’s necessary.

Evidence for the survival advantages conveyed by the wing covers is impressive. The order Coleoptera, the scientific category of beetles, contains more than 380,000 named and described species, a figure that represents nearly a quarter of currently known animal species.

In Dinosaur Armor, the world premiere exhibition occupying the R. P. Simmons Family Gallery for the next 10 months, a colorful array of preserved beetles illustrates the insects’ built-in shield adaptation.

wall of beetle specimens

Visitors interested in elytra can visually study a far larger and more diverse beetle display just outside the Dinosaur Armor exit. Here hundreds of curated specimens from the scientific collection have been arranged in a wall-sized display.

detail of beetle specimens on display

Collectively and individually, this mass of pinned beetles serves to reinforce an unstated theme of Dinosaur Armor: functional exterior armor does not necessarily preclude natural beauty.

Patrick McShea works in the Education and Visitor Experience department of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

Related Content

Dinosaur Armor Behind the Scenes

Red Bug Bonus

Jurassic Days: Mighty Mosasaur

sidebar

About

  • About
  • Museum History
  • Senior Staff
  • Strategic Plan 2020-2022
  • Image Permission Requests

Get Involved

  • Volunteer
  • Membership
  • Carnegie Discoverers
  • Donate
  • Employment
  • Events

Bring a Group

  • Groups of 10 or More
  • Virtual Museum Birthday Parties
  • Virtual Field Trips
  • Scouts

Powdermill

  • Powdermill Nature Reserve
  • Powdermill Field Trips
  • Powdermill Staff
  • Research at Powdermill

More Information

  • Press
  • Image Permission Requests
  • Blog
  • Shopping Cart
  • Contact
Rad works here logo
One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh | ©2020 Carnegie Institute | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Accessibility