Bug Identifier
Click Beetle
Community identification

Click Beetle

Melanotus spp.

Order & Family
Coleoptera: Elateridae
Size
12 to 20 mm in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Decaying wood, leaf litter, and grassy areas; often attracted to artificial lights at night and find their way into homes.

Diet & Feeding

Adults typically feed on nectar, pollen, and sweet plant juices; larvae (known as wireworms) feed on roots, seeds, and decomposing organic matter.

Behavior Patterns

Possess a unique 'clicking' mechanism where they snap a prosternal spine into a mesosternal groove to flip themselves upright or escape predators. They are primarily nocturnal.

Risks & Benefits

Harmless to humans as they do not bite or sting. In the ecosystem, they aid in decomposition, though some larval species can be agricultural pests by damaging crop roots.