Editing Scarabaeidae (section)

== Description ==
[[File:Scarab Cartouche of Thutmosis III from Karnak.JPG|thumb|left|upright|Sacred scarab in a cartouche of [[Thutmosis III]] from [[Karnak]] temple of Amun-Ra, Egypt]]

Scarabs are stout-bodied beetles, many with bright metallic colours, measuring between 	{{convert|1.5|and|160|mm|round=each}}. They have distinctive, clubbed [[antenna (biology)|antennae]] composed of plates called [[lamella (zoology)|lamellae]] that can be compressed into a ball or fanned out like leaves to sense odours. Many species are [[fossorial]], with legs adapted for digging. In some groups males (and sometimes females) have prominent horns on the head and/or [[Prothorax|pronotum]] to fight over mates or resources.<ref name=bugguide /> The largest fossil scarabaeid was ''[[Oryctoantiquus|Oryctoantiquus borealis]]'' with a length of {{convert|50|mm}}.<ref>Brett Ratcliffe, Dena M. Smith, Diane Marie Erwin. "[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232682009_Oryctoantiquus_borealis_New_Genus_and_Species_from_the_Eocene_of_Oregon_USA_the_World's_Oldest_Fossil_Dynastine_and_Largest_Fossil_Scarabaeid_Coleoptera_Scarabaeidae_Dynastinae Oryctoantiquus borealis, New Genus and Species from the Eocene of Oregon, U.S.A., the World's Oldest Fossil Dynastine and Largest Fossil Scarabaeid (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae)]". 2009. The Coleopterists Bulletin 59(Mar 2005):127-135 DOI:10.1649/0010-065X(2005)059[0127:OBNGAS]2.0.CO;2</ref> 
[[File:Curl grub.jpg|thumb|A scarab beetle grub from Australia.]]
The C-shaped [[larva]]e, called grubs, are pale yellow or white. Most adult beetles are nocturnal, although the flower chafers ([[Cetoniinae]]) and many leaf chafers ([[Rutelinae]]) are active during the day. The grubs mostly live underground or under debris, so are not exposed to sunlight. Many scarabs are scavengers that recycle dung, [[carrion]], or decaying plant material.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Marcos Paulo Gomes Gonçalves|title=Relação Entre Tempo e Besouros em Mata de Cocal|journal=Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia|volume=32|issue=4|pages=543–554|trans-title=Relationship Between Meteorological Conditions and Beetles in Mata de Cocal|language=pt|year=2017|doi=10.1590/0102-7786324003|doi-access=free}}</ref> Others, such as the [[Japanese beetle]], are [[Herbivore|plant-eaters]], wreaking havoc on various crops and vegetation.

Some of the well-known beetles from the Scarabaeidae are Japanese beetles, [[dung beetle]]s, [[June beetle]]s, rose chafers ([[Eupoecila australasiae|Australian]], [[Cetonia aurata|European]], and [[Macrodactylus subspinosus|North American]]), [[Dynastinae|rhinoceros beetle]]s, [[Hercules beetle]]s and [[Goliathus|Goliath beetle]]s.

Several members of this family have [[structural coloration|structurally coloured]] shells which act as left-handed circular polarisers; this was the first-discovered example of [[circular polarization in nature]].<ref name="A.A. Michelson">{{Cite journal |author=A. A. Michelson |title=On metallic colourings in birds and insects |journal=[[Philosophical Magazine]] |volume=21 |issue=124 |pages=554–567 |year=1911 |doi=10.1080/14786440408637061|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1430722 }}</ref>