Beetles belong to the Order Coleoptera, the largest group of insects, containing over 400,000 described species globally. Their immense diversity means they occupy nearly every habitat, from polar regions to tropical forests. Given their prevalence, it is natural to wonder what term is used when these insects gather.
The Specific Collective Nouns
Unlike more social animals that have established terms like a “flock” of birds or a “school” of fish, there is no single, universally recognized collective noun for beetles. The lack of a formal term is common for many insect groups that do not exhibit complex social structures. Using general terms like “a group of beetles” is perfectly acceptable.
However, a few terms have been suggested informally. The most frequently encountered term is a “swarm” of beetles, which describes a large, often flying, mass of the insects. Other suggestions include a “bulk” of beetles or a “shimmer” for iridescent species. These creative names are not standardized in entomology and are used primarily for literary flourish.
Solitary Nature and Lifestyle
The primary reason a single collective noun has not been established is biological: the vast majority of beetle species are solitary creatures. They spend their lives independently, interacting only briefly for mating or competitive feeding opportunities. This solitary existence contrasts sharply with the eusocial behavior seen in insects like ants or bees, which live in highly organized, cooperative colonies.
A beetle’s life cycle further reinforces this solitary pattern, as the immature stages, known as grubs, typically live separate lives from the adults. The absence of a need for group communication, defense, or cooperative foraging means that a formal group designation is largely unnecessary for most species in this order. Some exceptions exist, such as the burying beetles in the genus Nicrophorus, which exhibit temporary parental care by preparing a carcass for their young.
When Beetles Aggregate
Although most beetles are solitary, they do occasionally form temporary, non-social gatherings called aggregations. These gatherings are typically driven by a shared resource or environmental cue, rather than true social coordination. One common example is a mating swarm, such as those formed by June bugs or certain longhorn beetles, where pheromones attract both sexes to a single location for reproduction.
Other aggregations are tied to resource exploitation, a behavior particularly notable in pest species. For example, bark beetles release powerful aggregation pheromones to signal a successful host tree attack. This chemical signal attracts thousands of others to overwhelm the tree’s defenses, ensuring a food source for their offspring. Ladybugs also aggregate by the thousands at overwintering sites to survive the winter temperatures. These dense groupings are temporary survival strategies, not permanent social structures.