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Beetle flight

The beetles are the most varied of all the insects, with over 300,000 species. They have wings but as most live on the ground they hide them away most of the time. Some beetles are clumsy in the air. Different types of beetles show off their flying skills: weevil, ladybird, blister beetle. After flight, the wings have to be put away, and the blister beetle takes a very long time to fold away its wings - it is like doing a complicated origami. Sir David Attenborough examines a titan beetle - the biggest beetle in the world and probably the biggest insect at 7 inches long. He has to handle it carefully in case it bites him. Footage of a beetle grub - the larva is the longest stage of any beetle's life.

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3 minutes

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