Bug Identifier
Click Beetle
Community identification

Click Beetle

Alaus oculatus (representative species of the family)

Order & Family
Order: Coleoptera; Family: Elateridae
Size
1.5 mm to 45 mm depending on the species
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found globally in diverse environments including woodlands, grasslands, and residential gardens; often found under bark or near lights at night.

Diet & Feeding

Adults typically feed on nectar, pollen, or soft plant tissues; larvae (known as wireworms) feed on decaying vegetation, roots, or other small insects.

Behavior Patterns

Known for their unique clicking mechanism where they can snap their thoracic segments to launch themselves into the air to escape predators or flip over if they are on their backs.

Risks & Benefits

Generally harmless to humans; however, some species' larvae (wireworms) can be agricultural pests by damaging crop roots, while others help the ecosystem through decomposition.