
Community identification
Click Beetle
Melanotus spp.
- Order & Family
- Coleoptera: Elateridae
- Size
- 12 to 20 mm in length
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.