There is a bit of old gossip that continues to be retold amongst biologists. According to this take, the eminent British biologist, J.B.S. Haldane, was attending a cocktail party when he was confronted by a prelate with a rather unusual question. Repeated ever since the last 1930s, this brief encounter has become a staple when discussing the diversity of life on our planet. The religious gentleman's question was: "As a student of biology, Dr. Haldane, what can you tell us about the nature of God?" Unfazed by the gravity of the question, the eminent biologist is said to have responded simply and directly: "An inordinate fondness for beetles!"

Yes, indeed! The Creator seems to have a fondness for beetles. Why else would there be so many of them? At latest count, beetles number around 380,000 described species. ........ all over the world, has given us around 380,000 scientific names for beetles! Compare that with about 5,500 species of described living mammals, or a bit more than 10,000 species of birds. Shifting to plant world, there are over 310,000 described species of land plants on our resplendent planes. This is conservative number. Including mosses, liverworts, ferns and their allies, all the conifers, as well as ,pre than quarter million flowering plants. ....