Which habitats are occupied by beetles?

Beetles are found in nearly all climates and latitudes, occupying almost any habitat inhabited by insects, with the notable exceptions of Antarctica and the highest mountain altitudes. Their distribution is global, ranging from the Arctic to subantarctic islands.123

Beetles exhibit remarkable adaptability to diverse environments, including:

• Terrestrial Habitats: Many species live beneath the ground, in soil, or within leaf litter. Others are found on vegetation, including foliage, flowers, and tree trunks, or within wood, such as in rotting logs, stumps, and under bark.2
• Aquatic Habitats: Numerous beetles have adapted to life in fresh water, including water scavenger beetles and predaceous diving beetles, which may live in ponds or even deep wells.142
• Specialized Associations: Some beetles live as commensals or parasites within the nests of social insects like ants and termites. Others have developed unique ecological relationships, such as the epizoic symbiosis found on weevils in moss forests, where various organisms like algae and fungi grow on the beetles' backs.125
• Human-Made Environments: Many species thrive in stored plant or animal products, including grain, meal, and clothing.2