Oil beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus)

Species information

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Glossary

Abdomen: in arthropods (crustaceans, insects and arachnids) the abdomen is the hind region of the body, which is usually segmented to a degree (but not visibly in most spiders). In crustacea (e.g. crabs) some of the limbs attach to the abdomen; in insects the limbs are attached to the thorax (the part of the body nearest to the head) and not the abdomen. In vertebrates the abdomen is the part of the body that contains the internal organs (except the heart and lungs).
Larvae: stage in an animal's lifecycle after it hatches from the egg. Larvae are typically very different in appearance to adults; they are able to feed and move around but usually are unable to reproduce.
Parasites: organisms that derives food from, and live in or on, another living organism at the host’s expense.
Pupates: Pupation is the the process of forming a pupa, the stage in an insect's development when huge changes occur that reorganise the larval form into the adult form. In butterflies the pupa is also called a chrysalis.