Click Beetle (appears to be a damaged specimen)
Scientific Name: Elateridae (family)
Order & Family: Order: Coleoptera, Family: Elateridae
Size: Typically 3 mm to 60 mm, depending on the species. The specimen appears to be on the smaller to medium side of this range.
Natural Habitat
Adults are found in various environments including forests, grasslands, gardens, and agricultural fields. Wireworms live in soil.
Diet & Feeding
Adult click beetles typically feed on pollen, nectar, sap, or decaying plant matter. Larvae, known as wireworms, feed on the roots, seeds, and underground stems of various plants.
Behavior Patterns
Adult click beetles are generally nocturnal and attracted to lights. When threatened or flipped onto their back, they can snap their prothorax and metathorax together with a 'click' sound, launching themselves into the air to right themselves or escape. Larvae (wireworms) live underground and can be quite destructive to roots.
Risks & Benefits
Risks: Wireworms (larvae) can be significant agricultural pests, damaging crops like corn, potatoes, and wheat by feeding on their roots. Benefits: Adults contribute to pollination, and some species' larvae can be predatory on other insect larvae, providing minor pest control.
Identified on: 8/8/2025