Introductory chapters cover anatomy, development, ecology, beetles and man, etc.

The identification section begins with a guide to families using line drawings of typical members. This is followed by short species accounts for selected species; these are illustrated with good-sized paintings on the opposite page. The final plate covers bark beetle borings.

Translated from a German work; the English editor was P. M. Hammond.

Apparently a re-issue of the 1984 Octopus book.