Author Notes - I just wanna point out that there is a real Pikmin enemy that attacks by farting on your Pikmin. And it poisons them in the process. That needed to be said. I don't know why it exists, but it does, and we have to deal with that.

Oh, and this is one of the more obvious errors in Pikmin 2's taxonomic knowledge. They classify the three Beetles under three different families, though the 'Flint Bug' family was a translation error. So, still two seperate families. Yet, not only do they share more than enough characteristics to be considered the same family, they're all in the same genus. It's weird, because they mostly get this stuff right, but every now and then they kinda goof.

FLINTBEETLE FAMILY

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera

EMILY'S PERSONAL NOTES

Okay Olimar, help me out here. How on earth can these three beetles be in different families, but the same genus? That's… demonstrably not how the system works. And you know better! I'm going to fix this little error by classifying them into the same family. They have so many similarities that I'm certain they're in the same family anyway.

NERD RANT ASIDE, I love these guys! For one, they don't try to eat me, which instantly wins them some points. Plus, I don't have to kill them to get their goods, so it's a lot less painful on my conscience. And let's be real here: they just look really cool! Anything that is shiny is immediately awesome. Shiny... is... goooood.

Oh, and can someone please tell me how I explain the Doodlebug in a way that my colleagues will both believe me and not laugh like middle-schoolers? I get it - it's way of 'attacking' is absolutely absurd and very giggle-worthy. But it's a real thing, dang it! To be fair, describing its gas as a 'Grade XIII Biohazard' will always make me giggle like a four-year-old.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCES

All members of the Pilli genus share the same basic appearance. Compared to the other strange-looking creatures in the ecosystem, members of this family do not diverge too much from your typical beetle. Their bodies come in two halves - the underbelly, typically a darker colour to the rest of its body, and the shiny shell on top, which bears a vague resemblance to those of turtles. They have two antennae with eyes on the ends, as well as two more antennae spread horizontally, somewhat resembling a moustache. Where the three members of this family differ is in their colour.

The Pilli envelopens (Iridescent Flint Beetles) have green tops and dark blue underbellies, while the eyes and feelers at the end of the antennae are orange. Most Flints have a shell covered in faded lines spanning the head to the 'tail', which depending on how the light reflects off it can appear green or blue, but usually somewhere in between. There exists the more rarely-seen P. envelopens striaticus subspecies, where the shell is primarily green and has dark turquoise splotches instead.

The other two members of this family are 'based' on the original Flint. The P. auricus (Iridescent Glint Beetle) has an appearance often considered beautiful, for it is covered in a shimmering and shiny gold, due to its diet (further details in 'Diet and Defences'). In contrast, the P. flatularum (Doodlebug) has a much 'grosser' appearance, being an unsightly brown. It can often be seen with tiny insects buzzing around it, likely because of its foul odour.

The little-known Lithelytra sisyphons (Stony Flint Beetle) bears a rather different appearance, resembling the stereotypical beetle quite a bit more. Its two back legs are much bigger than the front ones, and it has a brownish-grey colour scheme much like rock. At the ends of their antennae are big yellow eyes.

HABITAT

Flint Beetles are always found underground, anywhere between just a few centimetres beneath the surface to hundreds of feet below. They typically stay close to open air, so they can easily escape for food when they desire. Those that live above ground are typically found in temperate forests, and can be prompted to come to the surface if you go near where it happens to be. Underground dwelling beetles typically stay in earthy caverns, though some have been spotted in more snowy caves too.

Out of the three species in the Pilli genus, the regular Flint Beetles are no doubt the most common. Glints and Doodlebugs are considerably rarer, though Doodlebugs are somewhat more common.

Stony Beetles are far rarer than the others, due to only living in one particular cavern known as the 'Peculiar Rockfall'. However, they are found in very high numbers here and face competition from hardly anything else. In fact, they are almost the only creatures to be found in this cave.

DIET AND DEFENCES

Flints and Doodlebugs both consume nectar from nectar weed (a common grass on PNF-404), and will gladly eat pellets (crystalised nectar) whenever possible. They store undigested pellets in their stomachs to sustain them through winter, though one can force them to spit out these pellets if one hits them with the right stimuli. They also show a proclivity to nectar from Fructus cursimius (Burgeoning Spiderworts), though Flints much prefer the nectar of the confitus (spicy) variant, while Doodlebugs consume plenty of acerbudicus (bitter) nectar instead.

Glints has a significantly different diet. They consume subterranean minerals such as gold. The beetle itself lacks the ability to properly digest the minerals, and relies on metabacteria living in its stomach to break the food down chemically. The purified metals are typically discharged, though certain metals - like gold and platinum - crystallise into the Glint's shell, which is what causes the gorgeous golden shine the creature is known for. Stony Beetles have a similar diet, though they typically stick only to iron.

All four beetles defend themselves in similar ways - for the most part, they are incapable of fighting back and rely on their rock-hard shells to resist attacks. These shells are extremely tough and no creature currently known can pierce them. The most an attacker can do to a beetle is flip it over, though the beetle is likely to get right back up immediately. This, however, will often knock some of its food reserves out, so flipping one over is a good way to gather resources such as nectar or pellets.

Stony Beetles have demonstrated great strength - up to twenty times their own weight - and are easily capable of pushing around big blocks made of solid iron. The reason why they push these rocks around are yet to be understood, though it's likely it has to do with its diet.

Doodlebugs, however, have their own - and rather strange way - of attacking. Much like creatures that unleash a foul-smelling musk to keep them safe, the Doodlebug attacks using noxious gases. However, it has no gas-producing organs within its body, and is in fact using the gas created by decay of the contents within its intestines. This means the creature is merely flatuating, and doesn't even appear to control this strange 'attack'. The gases it emits contain both methane and hydrogen sulfide, making it a grade XIII biohazard. This zoologist can reassure you that she is not joking.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Members of this family exhibit an impressive ability to coincide with other specimens with little to no fighting. While this low level of aggression is likely due to their inability to properly attack and reliance only on their defences, many kinds of Beetles can run past each other and harvest from the same plants without any sort of animosity.

Due to this, they function just as well in groups as they do by themselves. How Beetle groups are formed typically correlates to their habitat. Beetles found close to the surface are typically alone, though another member of the family may be nearby. Those underground, however, are usually found in groups; if you see one Beetle, another is sure to be close.

Beetles do not seem to care at all about the differences between species. Different kinds of beetles - Flints, Glints, and Doodlebugs - can be seen together as though they are all the same species. However, Doodlebugs often group together with no other species, for what should be obvious reasons. Due to their rarity and rather specific habitat, Stonies have only ever been seen with other Stonies, though they appear to get along with the other species just fine.

COURTING AND CHILDREARING

Like other insects in the Coleoptera order, male Beetles do most of the work regarding mating habits. When a male Beetle of any species becomes sexually mature, he will search for a suitable female. If his search is successful, he will rub his horizontal antennae across the female's abdomen to attract her attention. Female Beetles will typically accept the advances, except from particularly desperate males. If she rejects him, she will show it by kicking him onto his back and leaving him to pick himself back up. If she accepts, however, mating begins.

Once mating is finished, the male immediately leaves to find another female, while the mother stores up to a hundred eggs inside herself for up to several weeks. These eggs stay in her body until she can find a suitable place to lay them, near their respective source of food (nectar for Flints and Doodlebugs, minerals for Glints and Stonies). The first - and only - thing the larvae do upon hatching is eat as much food as possible. Many of the larvae will not survive, but once they have eaten enough they will pupate. This pupal stage can last between 5-8 days, whereupon they emerge as a fully-grown Beetle who will start storing pellets for winter.

Beetles are perfectly capable of cross-breeding, though this is rare. Flints and Glints placed together are willing to breed with each other, and the offspring will match whoever is doing the egg-laying. Doodlebugs, meanwhile, hardly ever crossbreed for Flints and Glints have little to no interest in them. The reason for this should go without saying. Some people may make jokes about how the males are more gassy than the females, but this is incorrect as both sexes produce the same amount of gas. Stonies typically prefer to choose themselves, though will gladly settle for a Flint or Glint if there is no other option.

OTHER NOTES

The original three species used to belong to three different families (though the 'Flint Bug' family appears to have been an accident on Olimar's part). However, due to them sharing a genus and being strikingly similar to each other, it was seen as best to combine the three.

Due to having six legs, the Flint Beetle family is one of the very few insectoid families in this ecosystem to consist of true insects. Other families lack the correct amount of legs, typically only having four at most, and thus are not eligible to be 'insects'.

NOTES FROM OTHER RESEARCHERS

Flint Beetle -

It reminds me a bit of prize-dispensing machines. Only instead of putting in coins, you throw Pikmin, and instead of toys, you get pellets and nectar. - Alph

The pop quiz of indigenous creatures. You might think you're ready for it, but when the time comes, you're probably not. There's no penalty for failure except missing out on neat rewards, which is basically torture. - Brittany

Finding one of these critters means it's your lucky day! If you can manage to hit it with Pikmin, it'll drop pellets and nectar. All you have to do is wait for it to stop and then press the attack! - Captain Charlie

Glint Beetle -

If there was a way to scrape all that gold off, this creature would be like winning the lottery! But it's practically ingrained in its exoskeleton, and I feel like removing it would be kinda mean. - Alph

I'm beginning to see why Hocotatians like treasure so much. It's so… shiny and beautiful. I… must… have… the… shiiinyyy… NO, BRITTANY! Control yourself! You're better than those…those… MUST HAVE SHINY! - Brittany

They may say that 'all that glitters is not gold', but that doesn't apply to this beetle. Its gold sheen is a sign that it gives wonderful rewards, so gather your troops and attack at once! … BRITTANY! - Captain Charlie, shortly before giving Brittany a time-out

Doodlebug -

Now this one is… new. I've seen a lot of creatures that defend themselves with a musk, but… I-I just can't. What can I say? Just thinking about this creature makes me feel like a five-year-old boy laughing about poop again... - Alph

… … … WHY?! Just… why?! Why does this bug exist? IT ATTACKS BY… hehehe…! Oh my gosh, I can't say it without giggling. What am I, four? It attacks by… ha ha ha! Why is that so funny?! ... I'm an adult. I shouldn't be laughing at this. BUT IT'S SO FUNNY! - Brittany

Well, can't say I've ever seen a warrior with battle tactics like this. It's strange, to say the least. In fact, I don't even think it's doing it on purpose. But, seeing as its, erm, gas functions as an effective poison, I can't say it doesn't do it well. I'm always one for unique strats, I suppose! - Captain Charlie

Stony Flint Beetle -

The regular Flint Beetle was already hard as rock, but this one is… even harder than rock! Though, 'flint' is already a kind of stone, so this creature's name is essentially 'Stony Stone Beetle'. … This bugs me more than it should. - Alph

What a waste of perfectly good strength. It could carry so much food singlehandedly, and all it does with it is push a bunch of big iron rocks! … Wait, what's that? The big iron rocks ARE its food? … Oh. Fair play. - Brittany

Push, Beetle! PUSH! I don't know why you're doing that, and probably never well, but it's what you gotta do so PUUUUSH! That's the spirit, Bugs! … Why is everyone looking at me like that? - Captain Charlie

Author Notes - Totally didn't forget to add Hey! Pikmin's Stony Flint Beetle when I first wrote this. NO. Not at all. On an unrelated note, re-reading the sentence 'she will show it by kicking him onto his back and leaving him to pick himself back up' made me laugh more than it should.

Next time is our only double feature - Flitterbie and Flutterbie! Why are they a double feature? Because they all share a genus (much like THIS family grumble grumble) and their names are only one letter apart, which makes me wonder if someone made a typo.