Bug Identifier
Click Beetle
Community identification

Click Beetle

Family Elateridae

Order & Family
Order: Coleoptera; Family: Elateridae
Size
2 mm to 40 mm, though most common varieties are around 10-20 mm.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Typically found in soils, decaying wood, or under leaf litter; they frequently enter homes through cracks or around windows.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae (known as wireworms) eat plant roots or decaying organic matter. Adults typically feed on plant matter, nectar, or pollen.

Behavior Patterns

Notable for their clicking mechanism; when turned on their backs, they use a specialized prosternal spine to snap their bodies, propelling themselves into the air to right themselves or escape predators.

Risks & Benefits

Adults are generally harmless to humans but can be minor garden pests. Larvae (wireworms) can be significant agricultural pests by damaging the roots of cereal crops and vegetables.