
Community identification
Click Beetle
Melanotus spp.
- Order & Family
- Coleoptera: Elateridae
- Size
- 12 mm to 40 mm (varies by specific species)
Natural Habitat
Found globally in soil, decaying wood, and leafy vegetation; often attracted to lights and found inside houses.
Diet & Feeding
Adults eat nectar, pollen, or soft plant tissue; larvae (wireworms) feed on decaying vegetation and crop roots.
Behavior Patterns
Possess a unique 'clicking' mechanism where they snap a thoracic spine into a groove to flip their bodies upright or escape predators. Most are nocturnal.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to humans; no sting or bite. However, their larvae can be significant agricultural pests by damaging the roots of cereal crops and potatoes.