How do beetles fly with hard wing covers?

Beetles possess two pairs of wings, but they do not use both pairs for flight in the same way as other insects. The front pair of wings is modified into hardened, horny covers known as elytra.12

These elytra serve primarily as protective sheaths for the delicate, membranous hindwings and the majority of the beetle's abdomen. When a beetle prepares for flight, it lifts or opens these hardened covers to expose the functional hindwings located on the metathorax. The hindwings then unfold and flap to generate the necessary lift and propulsion for flight, while the elytra remain held out of the way. Once the beetle lands, it folds the membranous hindwings back under the elytra, which then close to provide protection once more.134