Coleoptera652 species

Family Click Beetles (Elateridae)

Elateridae is a family in the order Coleoptera. Browse 652 named species recorded in this family, or open an individual profile for its available identification and natural-history information.

Species in Elateridae (652)

Marsh Click Beetle

Actenicerus sjaelandicus

Size 10 to 16mm. A large species, varying in shade from rather grey-brown to chestnut-brown. A fairly dense covering of lighter grey coloured hairs gives the pronotum and elytra a patterned appearance and strong ridges running down the length of the

Adrastus pallens

Length 4.5 to 5 mm. One of the smallest of the British Elaterids. The elytra, legs and antennae are orange-brown with a darker stripe down the centre of the elytra. The pronotum and head are black. The elytral striae are deep at the base but become s

Agriotes acuminatus

This is a brown click beetle, the head often appearing darker than the elytra. Ridges are visible running the length of the elytra. The legs and antennae are a light brown colour. Dalopius marginatus is very similar but is usually more reddish brown

Agriotes lineatus

This 'click beetle' is relatively easy to identify due to the light and dark stripes along the length of its elytra. In grasses and other vegetation and amongst crops. The larvae, commonly called wireworms, live underground for up to four years where

Wireworm Click Beetle

Agriotes obscurus

7 to 10 mm. This is a mid to dark brown coloured click beetle, with yellowish hairs on the elytra. The pronotum is rounded and distinctly contracted at the front. Agriotes lineatus is similar, but the stripes along the elytra have a dark and light ap

Agriotes pallidulus

This 'click beetle' is about 3.5 to 5 mm in length. It has ribbed brown hairy elytra, often with a darker mid-line, plus a black head and thorax. Fairly widespread in England and Wales with fewer records from Scotland.

Agriotes sputator

Size about 9mm - a mid brown species of click beetle. Note that A. lineatus may look similar, but the stripes along the elytra in that species have a two-tone dark and light appearance. Agriotes obscurus is another similar species, but the pronotum h

Agrypnus murinus

Length 10 to 17 mm. This species is distinctive due to the dense scale-like pubescence which almost covers the dorsal surface. Unless identified by a recognised expert, a photo is required. If the photo doesn't show the key ID features then in the co

Agrypnus triplehornorum

Collected on the surface of the sand after dark. None came to lights. (Knull 1973)

Texas Click Beetle

Alaus lusciosus

Identification: White markings on elytra are more clumped and patchy than those of A. oculatus , which has smaller, more evenly dispersed white spots. A. zunianus has very similar coloration but probably does not overlap in range. (E.G. Riley, pers.

Blind Click Beetle

Alaus myops

Blind Click Beetle (Alaus myops) is a species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as click beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera (Beetles). It is classified within the subfamily Agrypninae, tribe Hemirhipini, suborder Polyphaga, superfamily

Ampedus balteatus

Approximately 1cm long. Ampedus balteatus is an attractive black and red click beetle - the predominantly red elytra turning black around two thirds down their length. Fairly wide ranging from broadleaved and mixed woodland to heath land and peat moo

Ampedus brevis

Identification: Closely related to the widespread A. fusculus

Ampedus deletus

Identification: Coloration somewhat variable, brownish to black (a form is also known with pale hind angles and very light coloration). Closely related and similar to A. nigrinus , separated by the pubescence coloration (dark black in nigrinus , brow

Ampedus fusculus

Identification: Lectotype • sutural vitta restricted to 3‒4 intervals, vs broadened over posterior ½‒⅔ in the similar western A. brevis

Ampedus impolitus

Ampedus impolitus (Ampedus impolitus) is a species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as click beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera (Beetles). It is classified within the subfamily Elaterinae, tribe Ampedini, suborder Polyphaga, superfami

Ampedus laurentinus

Identification: Amongst NE dark Ampedus: Dark pubescence, pronotal punctures umbilicate and not dense (separated by a diameter), ovipositor sub-rectangular

Ampedus linteus

Identification: elytral suture & a patch at elytral apex black

Ampedus molestus

Identification: Subparallel pronotum and ovipositor valves subrectangular are diagnostic

Ampedus nigricollis

Identification: species has pale legs, compared to the dark legs of the similar Ampedus sellatus . Adults hibernate under bark.

Ampedus pedalis 0

Ampedus pedalis

Identification: habitus photo (specimen from TN id'd by B.A.Mathison)

Ampedus quebecensis

Identification: Pale form: Elytra red with apical dark spot cordiform, pronotal punctures extremely dense, specially on the sides. Pilosity dark/black Dark form: All black, separated from the other dark Ampedus by the piceous pubescence and the dense

Ampedus rubricollis

Ampedus rubricollis (Ampedus rubricollis) is a species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as click beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera (Beetles). It is classified within the subfamily Elaterinae, tribe Ampedini, suborder Polyphaga, super

Ampedus sanguinipennis

Identification: Coloration and shape apparently distinctive.

Anchastus augusti

Identification: Distinctive First US records in 1987 and 1989 in the Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Brownsville, TX (Heffern & Brattain, 1991). Texas considered this a SGCN in 2012

Anchastus fumicollis

Identification: relatively easily recognized in the se.US by its size, color, long antennae, and subequal second and third antennomeres. Det. E. G. Riley, 2014 Type Locality: Royal Palm Park, Florida (for which there appears to be more than one in di

Aplotarsus incanus

Length: 7 to 8.5 mm. Dull black and elongate with a fine pubescence. Legs are brown. The pronotum is very finely punctuated (denser in males). Elytral punctures larger than those on the pronotum and very dense - running into each other. The frons (be

Athous acanthus

Athous acanthus (Athous acanthus) is a species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as click beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera (Beetles). It is classified within the subfamily Dendrometrinae, tribe Dendrometrini, suborder Polyphaga, supe

Athous bicolor

Size 8 to 10 mm. Quite an elongated species. The elytra are brown in colour with ridges and pits running down their length. The pronotum is slightly darker. The hairs are very similar in colour to the elytra. The legs and antennae are unicolourous wi

Athous haemorrhoidalis

Approximately 15 mm long, this brown beetle has elytra covered in fine brown hairs. Found in hedgerows and meadows. The adults can be found on various types of vegetation. Like all click beetles, it can flick itself into the air when laid on its back

Cardiophorus brevis

Specimens from Arizona previously identified as C. aptopoides are better attributable to C. brevis based on rexamimination of tarsal claw morphology [H. Douglas pers. comm. to B. Mathison 2018]

Cardiophorus panamapolis

Identification: HOLOTYPE Type Locality: West Panama City Beach, Bay County, Florida

Cardiophorus robustus

Had not been collected since 1965 until the BugGuide specimens (2012 and 2016)

Cardiophorus togatus

Identification: Horn (1871) noted a second spmn that "has the elytra entirely red with the apex only slightly darker ." Type series, two spmns, collected by Mr. Belfrage at Waco, Texas (Horn 1871)

Chalcolepidius lenzi

Identification: antennae strongly serrate in male and serrate in female

Ctenicera cuprea

Length 11 to 16 mm. A large, very elongated and variable species. Colour combinations include dark yellow elytra with green tips and a green pronotum, wholly green or wholly purple. There is a conspicuous dipped line down the centre of the pronotum a

Ctenicera kendalli

Larvae live in soil and are agricultural pests in recently cleared land

Ctenicera pectinicornis

Length 14 to 17 mm. Large, unicolourous green metallic insect with very distinctive ridges running down the elytra and a sparse covering of hairs. A dipped line down the centre of the pronotum is present. Males have strongly toothed antennae that are

Dalopius cognatus-group

Identification: Brown's 1934 group of Dalopius based on: -phallobase of male genitalia as long as, or longer than, median lobe. -elytral apices truncated -color usually red-brown to dark-brown with pale humeral maculae. -distributed in Eastern North

Dalopius marginatus

Size 6 to 8 mm. Elytra predominantly a dark orangey brown colour with a darker chestnut brown coloured stripe running down the centre, wider at the anterior and narrowing towards the posterior. Pits form rows down the length of the elytra. The pronot

Danosoma obtectum

Danosoma is neuter, so the correct combination is D. obtectum . uncommon

Denticollis linearis

Length 9 to 13 mm. Although a variable species, the pronotum is always orangey red. The elytra can be various shades of brown and have pitted rows down their length. Various habitats from meadows to wooded areas. The larvae are found mainly under loo

Dicrepidius ramicornis

Identification: male habitus photo (Casari & Biffi 2012) [paywall]

Dicrepidius serraticornis

Identification: Males have serrate, rather than pectinate, antennae. They are superficially similar to members of the genus Dipropus but have an inverted V-shaped carina over the nasale.

Drapetes niger

Identification: first joint of antennae pale (Schaeffer, 1916) immediately recognized in our fauna by its elongate shape and long cinereous pubescence giving a grizzled appearance, usually elytra with pubescence forming a band just posterior of mid-l

Drapetes quadripustulatus

Identification: the only Neactic species with four elytral maculae, two on each elytron.

Hatch's Click Beetle

Eanus hatchi

Threatened with habitat loss; possibly extirpated at former Snohomish county collection localities (see fact sheet below).

Esthesopus parcus

Identification: Det. B. Mathison, 2018 Type coll'ed by Horn at Camp Grant, AZ

Esthesopus pusio

Identification: A smaller and more depressed species than any in our fauna.

Floridelater americanus

Identification: The posteriorly bilobed scutellum is unique among Elateridae examined. This species was described by Horn as Coptostethus americanus . At the time, Horn seemed hesitant for this generic placement but felt it the best choice at the tim

Gambrinus griseus

Gambrinus griseus (Gambrinus griseus) is a species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as click beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera (Beetles). It is classified within the subfamily Dendrometrinae, tribe Dendrometrini, suborder Polyphaga,

Glyphonyx ferruginosus

Type Locality: Huachuca Mountains, AZ (Schaeffer 1916)

Glyphonyx inquinatus

Identification: Supra-antennal carina meets clypeus at center, margins of prosternal process form a v-shape (meeting at apex), size usually > 4.5 mm, elytral suture usually dark, interval nine without groove widening at apex

Glyphonyx knulli

Identification: -frontal and nasale carinae joined at the middle -prosternal process margined to apex -size and color -length of elytra only slightly more than twice the width -lateral pronotal carina extending to almost, but not beyond, 3/4 length o

Glyphonyx kulashi

Identification: "Body color very dark brown (chocolate), legs rufous yellow, vestiture whitish." -Smith & Balsbaugh 1984

Hemicrepidius decoloratus

Identification: This species is most-similar to H. hemipodus but can usually be separated by having pale elytra. Melanic forms can be very difficult to separate from H. hemipodus without microscopic examination. In late 2020, this species was elevate

Hemicrepidius hirtus

One of the larger British Click Beetles at 13 to 17mm long. The species is uniformly black but with a slight silvery pubescence due to a covering of fine hairs. The elytral stria are deep giving a ridged appearance. The pronotum is rounded and the le

Hemicrepidius melanophthalmus

Identification: This species and H. bilobatus are the only two North American Hemicrepidius with ecarinate pronotal hind angles. In late 2020, this species was removed from synonomy with H. bilobatus

Hemicrepidius niger

Identification: coloration vary from brown to black earliest record in our area: ON 2008

Hemicrepidius ruficornis

In late 2020, H. ruficornis was removed from synonomy with H. nemnonius

Abbreviated Wireworm

Hypnoidus abbreviatus

Identification: A diagnostic feature is the relatively pubescent scutellum Abbreviated wireworm is the ESA approved common name for this species.

Marbled Click Beetle

Lacon marmoratus

Identification: Has yellowish scales that form blotches on the elytra. Pronotum with median groove. Pronotum and elytra with dense, coarse punctures.

Lacon mexicanus

Identification: last key couplet: Scales on dorsum mixed black and golden ; elytral usually has a post median scaleless band Det. E. G. Riley, 2010

Limonius basilaris

Identification: Black on top except for yellow or brown hind angles of pronotum, legs and first antenomere Det. M. A. Quinn, 2012

Liotrichus falsificus

Identification: mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/MediaSet.cfm?media_id=194635

Megapenthes longicornis

Type Locality: Huachuca Mtns, Arizona (Schaeffer 1916)

Megapenthes nigriceps

Identification: The specimen described is a male and closely related to rufilabris from which it differs in color, longer antennal joints, coarser punctation of prothorax, relatively longer hind tarsal joints and rather deeply emarginate hind coxal p

Megapenthes rufilabris

Megapenthes rufilabris (Megapenthes rufilabris) is a species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as click beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera (Beetles). It is classified within the subfamily Elaterinae, suborder Polyphaga, superfamily Ela

Melanactes piceus

Identification: A large, "polished black" click beetle ( 3 ) . Blatchley ( 4 ) describes this species: (Note that this historical reference should not necessarily be relied on for keying, but the narrative description should be valid.)

Melanotus americanus

Identification: Small size, subequal antennomeres II and III (in male), rounded pronotum with sparse punctures usually support identification of this species externally. Male genitalia are also distinctive .

Melanotus castanipes

Length 13 to 19 mm It is unicolourous black, or with slightly browner head and is very elongated with tapering elytra. Longitudinal rows of pits are obvious, as are densely scattered pits on the pronotum. The legs and antennae are black and the anten

Melanotus clandestinus

Identification: Small size; subequal antennomeres II and III; dense pronotal punctures; dense antennae setae.

Melanotus communis

Identification: Only reliable way to identify this species is examination of male genitalia. Similar congeners are nearly identical externally. See also info. under Melanotus communis -compex .

Melanotus communis Complex

Melanotus communis-complex

members of this complex usually cannot be reliably identified without examination of male genitalia, and include the following species : Some other species are similar but can often be ruled out based on external characters:

Melanotus corticinus

Identification: Large size (among members of the americanus -complex), subequal antennomeres II and III, and long antennae make this species readily-identified externally .

Melanotus decumanus

Identification: The large, jutting frons is the best external feature to separate this species from other members of the communis -complex. Males genitalia are also distinctive .

Melanotus indistinctus

Identification: Male. - Same as communis , but average size smaller, a little darker in color, frontal margin little wider than black border, parantennal fovea small but distinct, and pronotal pimctures somewhat larger and denser. Genitalia with slen

Melanotus lanceatus

Identification: closely related to M. longulus ; the smaller pronotal punctures in lanceatus are the most noticeable difference

Melanotus pertinax

Identification: appendages are of a different color than the body; no other American Melanotus species has this coloration

Melanotus taenicollis 0

Melanotus taenicollis

Hume Douglas distinguished Ampedus rubricus from M. taenicollis : "This identification based on the lack of basal sublateral pronotal plicae (present in Melantotus), the fine red-brown vestiture (coarse and white in M. taenicollis ), and also the dar

Pasture Wireworm

Monocrepidius exsul

Identification: pronotal angles bicarinate, elytral apices bidentate first record in our area: 1932

Monocrepidius pictus

Identification: similar to the native C. bellus but has a small tubercle at pronotal base and pronotal maculae broken (producing a smily face pattern)

Monocrepidius scissus

Lectotype Locality: Tybee Island, Chatham Co., Georgia

Monocrepidius similis

Original name Monocrepidius texanus Schaeffer 1909 turned out to be a junior homonym of M. texanus Candèze. Schaeffer corrected his junior homonym later that year and proposed the replacement name Monocrepidius similis . However, Monocrepidius simili

Green Click Beetle

Nitidolimonius resplendens

Relatively common, but usually encountered as single specimens

Octinodes gracilior

Identification: This graceful species because of its shining appearance, more or less cylindrical prothorax, with coarse yet well spaced punctures and contrasting coloration, stands well apart from our California species. note that the reddish pronot

Paradonus beckeri

Identification: body usually with a humeral spot on each elytron, sometimes a faint apical spot, spots rarely completely absent

Paradonus obliquatulus

Identification: transverse yellow band on elytron distinctive among our spp.

Bipectinate Click Beetle

Pityobius anguinus

Fairly uncommon. Other than a few lines of text in American Beetles, the only other reference I found was a brief mention in Coleoptera or Beetles East of the Great Plains ( 3 )

Pristilophus pulcher

Identification: elytra dark yellowish with large black cross-shaped marking; black dash descending from humeral angle either separated from or merging with lateral arm of black cross; pronotum with middorsal black stripe, bordered laterally by dark o

Prosternon tessellatum

Length 9 to 11 mm. Rather rounded in appearance for a click beetle, uniformly dark in colour. Almost the whole of the surface area of the elytra covered in short golden brown hairs (in parts at right angle to striae, in parts parallel, giving the che

Selatosomus aeneus

Length 11-17 mm. A large, metallic species with wide pronotum and elytra and no obvious covering of hairs. Colour ranges from green/gold to green/purple. Ridges are obvious down the length of the elytra. The legs are dark brown/black in colour and th

Stenagostus rhombeus

Adult beetles are up to 20 mm in length. It is quite an elongated species of click beetle that is predominantly orange/brown in colour over the head, pronotum and elytra. Approximately half way down the elytra there is usually a slightly darker cross

Zorochros cucullatus

Identification: easily known by the form of the apical border of the thorax of which the middle forms a short lobe partly concealing the head from above. On each side of this lobe is a rather deep sinuation causing the front angles to be more acute a

Acteniceromorphus crestonensis

Acteniceromorphus sagitticollis

Acteniceromorphus spinosus

Acteniceromorphus stricklandi 0

Acteniceromorphus stricklandi