
Community identification
Eastern Eyed Click Beetle
Alaus oculatus
- Order & Family
- Order Coleoptera, Family Elateridae
- Size
- 25 to 45 mm (1 to 1.75 inches)
Natural Habitat
Deciduous and mixed forests with plenty of decaying hardwood, often found near oak, cherry, or apple trees.
Diet & Feeding
Adults may consume nectar or plant juices, but do not eat much. Larvae (wireworms) are predatory and eat other wood-boring insect larvae inside rotting logs.
Behavior Patterns
Best known for their ability to 'click' and flip themselves into the air when turned on their backs or threatened. The 'large eyes' on their thorax are actually false eye-spots designed to frighten predators.
Risks & Benefits
They are harmless to humans and plants. They provide an ecological benefit by preying on wood-boring pests that damage trees.