Eastern Eyed Click Beetle

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.

Identified on: 3/23/2026