Click beetle
Click beetles are beetles in the family Elateridae, named for the clicking sound they make when disturbed or when righting themselves.
Click beetles are beetles in the family Elateridae, named for the clicking sound they make when disturbed or when righting themselves. They are found worldwide, and many species are harmless as adults, though some larvae, known as wireworms, are agricultural pests.
Description
Click beetles are typically slender, elongated beetles with parallel-sided bodies and a hard exoskeleton. Many species are brown or black, and their adults are usually nocturnal.
Clicking mechanism
The family is known for a hinge-like mechanism between body segments that produces a click. This action helps the beetle flip itself upright and can also startle predators.
Life cycle and larvae
Click beetles undergo complete metamorphosis from egg to larva, pupa, and adult. The larvae, called wireworms, may live in soil or rotting wood and can feed on roots, seeds, or other small invertebrates.
Ecology and economic importance
Most adult click beetles are not considered major pests, but some larval species can damage agricultural crops. In Canada and elsewhere, certain species are known to affect potatoes and other field crops.
Key facts
- Click beetles belong to the beetle family Elateridae and are named for their distinctive clicking sound.
- They are a cosmopolitan group found on every continent except Antarctica.
- Adult click beetles use a special body mechanism to spring into the air and right themselves if overturned.
- The larvae, called wireworms, often live in soil or dead wood and may feed on roots and seeds.
- Some wireworms are important crop pests, including species that damage potatoes, corn, and other vegetables and grains.
Click beetles occur in Canada, where several species are known and some larvae are destructive crop pests. Canadian readers may encounter them in gardens, fields, and near lights at night. [3][8][9]
Frequently asked questions
What is a click beetle?
Why do click beetles click?
Are click beetles harmful to people?
What are wireworms?
Where are click beetles found?
References
- University of Michigan BioKIDS — https://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Elateridae/Supports: Worldwide distribution, North American species count, crop pest larvae, no endangered species noted
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/animal/click-beetleSupports: Family Elateridae and approximate global species count
- Orkin Canada — https://www.orkincanada.ca/pests/beetles/click-beetles/Supports: Presence in Canada and crop pest larvae
- Espace pour la vie — https://espacepourlavie.ca/en/insects-arthropods/click-beetlesSupports: Morphology, life cycle, habitat, clicking mechanism, larval diet
- CSIRO — https://ento.csiro.au/education/insects/coleoptera_families/elateridae.htmlSupports: Body shape, size range, nocturnal behavior, wireworm larvae, clicking mechanism
- North Carolina State University — https://genent.cals.ncsu.edu/insect-identification/order-coleoptera/family-elateridae/Supports: Clicking mechanism, body shape, adult and larval habits
- Missouri Department of Conservation — https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/click-beetles-elateridsSupports: Approximate North American species count and family identification