Beetles

There are a lot of different Beetles (350.000 species in 179 families are described)

All of them do breath oxygen via Trachea.
Even all the Beetles that live under water need to breath oxygen. 
They have different technics to do that. E.g. taking small oxygen bubbles with them under water.

The biggest one is the Titanus giganteus (Riesenbockkäfer). It can measures 170 mm.

Some have wings, others don't.

Sensing

Some beetles have very beautiful colors. e.g. (Carabus problematicus)

All beetles do have feelers. With that they can sense contacts and some can also breath with it. They can't see very well. But night active beetles can see at night. So they can find female partners, that for example can glow. Firefly - (Lampyris noctiluca)

All of the sensing organs are used to find partners or food or to fend off predators.

There are some that can sense fire. Some can feel the change of temperature others can hear the noise of fire. The do that to find mates and place their larvaes into the burned wood. (special australian beetles)

-They communicate via pheromone and sound...

You fist have to decide what kind of beetle you want to work with because there are soo many different kinds!