Click beetle
Scientific Name: Aeolus mellillus (variable species) or similar from family Elateridae
Order & Family: Order: Coleoptera; Family: Elateridae
Size: 12mm to 30mm (approx. 0.5 to 1.2 inches) depending on the specific genus
Natural Habitat
Commonly found in fields, gardens, and woodlands; they are often attracted to artificial lights at night and may enter homes through gaps or screens.
Diet & Feeding
Adults primarily eat nectar, pollen, or soft plant tissues; larvae (known as wireworms) live in soil or decaying wood, eating roots and seeds.
Behavior Patterns
Known for a unique 'clicking' mechanism; when turned on their backs, they use a thoracic spine to snap and propel themselves into the air to right themselves or escape predators.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to humans as they do not bite or sting. In the ecosystem, they aid in decomposition, though larval 'wireworm' stages can occasionally damage crops or garden plants.
Identified on: 6/16/2026