we live in the age of beetles - Democratic Underground

freedom_to_read

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Mon Sep-13-04 03:27 PM
Original message

we live in the age of beetles

Edited on Mon Sep-13-04 03:35 PM by freedom_to_read

WE LIVE IN THE AGE OF BEETLES

Beetles, the insect order Coleoptera, are the dominant form of life on earth: one of every five living species is a beetle! Various species live in nearly every habitat except the open sea, and for every possible kind of food, there's probably a beetle species that eats it. Beetles appeared before dinosaurs existed, and now greatly outnumber the dinosaurs' descendants, the birds. Beetles include beneficial and pest species, beautiful and plain, huge and tiny. They have even had a role in human culture, most notably the ancient Egyptians revering the sacred scarab as a symbol of life and rebirth. Coleopterists are people who study beetles and their habits.

Interesting? For more see:
http://www.coleopsoc.org

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BigMcLargehuge

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Mon Sep-13-04 03:42 PM
Response to Original message

1. I once read a quote from an 18th or 19th century naturalist

when asked if his work revealed anything about the nature of God, and he replied "An inordinate fondness for beetles."

I wish I could remember the guy's name. Anyone know it?

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Dookus

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Mon Sep-13-04 03:47 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. didn't know the name

but googled it:

J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964)

First quoted as saying it in 1959

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BigMcLargehuge

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Mon Sep-13-04 03:48 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. thanks Dookus!

:)

I thought it was an older quote, interesting that it's not as old as I thought.

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