Dead-wood
Guides
Abraeus
Abraeus is a genus of small hister beetles in the family Histeridae. Species in this genus are saproxylic, associated with dead and decaying wood. The genus contains at least nine described species distributed across Europe. Abraeus beetles are rarely collected due to their specialized habitat requirements and small size.
Acanthochalcis nigricans
Acanthochalcis nigricans is a large chalcidid wasp distinguished by white pubescent patches on the abdomen, which separate it from the similar A. unispinosa. Females possess an exceptionally long ovipositor and measure approximately 19 mm in total length. The species is a known parasitoid of Chrysobothris jewel beetles, including C. femorata and C. edwardsii, and has been observed seeking oviposition sites on dead mesquite branches. It occurs across the southwestern United States from Kansas and Oklahoma west to California.
Aneurus pygmaeus
Aneurus pygmaeus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Kormilev in 1966. The genus Aneurus comprises small, cryptic bugs associated with dead wood and fungi. As with other aradids, this species likely inhabits concealed microhabitats beneath bark or within decaying wood. The specific epithet 'pygmaeus' refers to its diminutive size. Information regarding its biology and distribution remains limited in available literature.
Aradus approximatus
flat bug
Aradus approximatus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Parshley in 1921. It belongs to a group of true bugs characterized by their strongly flattened bodies, an adaptation for living in tight spaces under bark. The species is recorded from North America. Like other members of the genus Aradus, it is presumed to inhabit dead wood environments, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Aradus brevicornis
Aradus brevicornis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Kormilev in 1980. It belongs to a genus of true bugs commonly associated with dead wood and bark habitats. The species epithet 'brevicornis' refers to its relatively short antennae compared to congeners. Like other members of Aradidae, this species is cryptic and poorly studied, with limited published information on its biology and distribution.
Aradus carolinensis
Aradus carolinensis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Kormilev in 1964. The species is known from North America. Members of the genus Aradus are commonly known as flat bugs and are typically associated with dead wood habitats.
Aradus cincticornis
flat bug
Aradus cincticornis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Bergroth in 1906. Flat bugs in this genus are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies and association with dead wood habitats. The species is known from North America. Like other members of Aradidae, it likely inhabits spaces under bark and in decaying wood.
Aradus concinnus
Aradus concinnus is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Bergroth in 1892. Flat bugs in this genus are typically associated with dead wood habitats, living on and under bark where they feed on fungal hyphae. The species is recorded from North America, though specific details about its biology and distribution within this range remain poorly documented in available sources.
Aradus furnissi
Aradus furnissi is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Usinger in 1936. Like other members of this family, it is a small, dorsoventrally flattened true bug. The genus Aradus is the largest in the family Aradidae, with species typically associated with dead wood habitats.
Aradus leachi
Aradus leachi is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Van Duzee in 1929. Flat bugs in this genus are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies and association with dead wood habitats. The species is known from North America, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Aradus lugubris
flat bug
Aradus lugubris is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Fallén in 1807. It is one of the most widely distributed species in its genus, occurring across the Holarctic region in both Europe and North America. The species is known from forest habitats where it lives under the bark of dead trees. Two subspecies are recognized: A. lugubris lugubris and A. lugubris nigricornis.
Aradus nr-behrensi-calif
California near Aradus behrensi
Aradus nr-behrensi-calif is a flat bug species in the family Aradidae, designated with the "nr" (near) prefix indicating it closely resembles but may not be conspecific with Aradus behrensi. The "calif" suffix suggests California origin. Flat bugs in this genus are typically associated with dead wood habitats. This designation is commonly used in entomological collections when precise species identification requires further taxonomic verification.
Aradus nr-intectus-bc
Aradus nr-intectus-bc is a flat bug species in the family Aradidae. The 'nr-intectus-bc' designation indicates this is a near-relative of Aradus intectus from British Columbia, representing a taxon that has not been formally described but is morphologically distinct enough to warrant a provisional identifier. Flat bugs in this genus are typically associated with dead wood habitats. The species-level taxonomy remains unresolved pending formal description.
Aradus uniformis
flat bug
Aradus uniformis is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, first described by Heidemann in 1904. It is known from North America. Members of the genus Aradus are commonly associated with dead wood habitats, though species-specific ecological details for A. uniformis remain limited in published literature.
Aradus vandykei
Aradus vandykei is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Van Duzee in 1927. It belongs to a genus of true bugs commonly associated with dead wood habitats. The species is part of a diverse group of Hemiptera known for their dorsoventrally flattened bodies and cryptic lifestyle under bark.
Aulicus edwardsii
Aulicus edwardsii is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It belongs to the genus Aulicus, which is part of a family of predatory beetles commonly associated with dead wood habitats. The species is known to be a host for the parasitic chalcidid wasp Acanthochalcis nigricans, indicating its role in complex ecological interactions involving wood-boring beetles and their parasitoids.
Aulonium longum
Aulonium longum is a species of cylindrical bark beetle in the family Zopheridae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1866. It is native to North America, with confirmed records from British Columbia, Canada. As a member of the Zopheridae, it belongs to a family of beetles commonly associated with dead wood and bark habitats.
Bothrideres geminatus
Bothrideres geminatus is a species of dry bark beetle in the family Bothrideridae. The species is found in North America, with records from Ontario, Canada and the United States. Its larvae develop under dry bark of dead trees, where they function as parasitoids of Chrysobothris beetle larvae. The species is part of a family whose members are predominantly parasitoids of wood-boring insects.
Buprestis confluenta
Yellow-spotted Jewel Beetle
Buprestis confluenta is a striking metallic wood-boring beetle distinguished by its emerald green to coppery-brown coloration with dense, more or less confluent yellow flecks across the elytra. The species is primarily associated with dead cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) in central and western North America. Despite the abundance of suitable host trees in some regions, it remains uncommonly encountered and is considered elusive by collectors. Adults are typically found on large, dead, barkless cottonwood trunks.
Cerophytidae
Rare Click Beetles
Cerophytidae is a small family of elateroid beetles commonly known as rare click beetles. The family contains approximately 23 extant species distributed across five genera, with the majority of diversity concentrated in the Neotropics. Adults possess a clicking mechanism convergent with Elateridae, though they are less specialized for jumping and better adapted for rapid walking and flight. The family has a significant fossil record extending to the Early Jurassic, with 17 fossil species in seven genera documented.
Chalcosyrphus chalybeus
violet leafwalker
Chalcosyrphus chalybeus, commonly known as the violet leafwalker, is a species of syrphid fly (flower fly) found in the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. Adults are characterized by their all-black coloration with a distinctive steely blue or violet metallic sheen. Unlike many syrphid flies, this species shows a strong association with dead wood rather than flowers. The larvae develop in decaying wood as saprophages, while adults are known to visit flowers for nectar and pollen. Males possess holoptic (contiguous) eyes, a trait unusual among syrphid flies.
Chalcosyrphus libo
Long-haired Leafwalker
Chalcosyrphus libo is an uncommon species of syrphid fly known by the common name Long-haired Leafwalker. It is characterized by an all-black body without the steel blue highlights seen in related species or the red abdominal markings present in congeners. The species exhibits notably enlarged and ventrally spinose metafemora with correspondingly curved tibiae, features whose function remains unclear but may relate to substrate interaction on woody surfaces. Adults are associated with dead and decaying wood, where females oviposit and larvae develop as saprophages. The species has been observed in north-central North America.
Chytonix sensilis
barrens chytonix
Chytonix sensilis, commonly known as the barrens chytonix, is a small noctuid moth native to eastern North America. First described in 1881, it is listed as endangered in Connecticut. The species is notable for its specialized larval diet of fungi growing on leaf litter and dead wood.
Colydium lineola
Lined Cylindrical Bark Beetle
Colydium lineola is a species of cylindrical bark beetle in the family Zopheridae, first described by Thomas Say in 1826. The species is known from North America, with records from British Columbia to Ontario in Canada. As a member of the cylindrical bark beetles, it inhabits forested environments where it likely feeds on fungi associated with dead wood.
Cucujus
flat bark beetles
Cucujus is a genus of flat bark beetles in the family Cucujidae, containing approximately 25 recognized species distributed across the Holarctic region. Species are dorso-ventrally compressed, brightly colored in red or red-and-black patterns, and range from 6–25 mm in length. The genus is most diverse in Asia, with indigenous species in North America, Europe, and Asia. Several species, notably C. cinnaberinus and C. clavipes, have been subjects of ecological and physiological research due to their conservation status and extreme cold tolerance adaptations.
Dendrophagus
Dendrophagus is a genus of beetles in the family Silvanidae, first described by Schönherr in 1809. The genus contains four recognized species distributed across the Holarctic region. Members of this genus are associated with woody habitats, reflecting their genus name derived from Greek roots meaning "tree-feeding."
Deretaphrini
Deretaphrini is a tribe of beetles within the family Bothrideridae, a group of Coleoptera commonly known as parasitic flat bark beetles. Members of this tribe are small, often flattened beetles associated with wood-boring insects. The tribe is relatively small and poorly studied compared to other bothriderid groups. Deretaphrini species are presumed to be parasitoids or predators of other insects, particularly beetles developing in dead or decaying wood.
Dinaraea
Dinaraea is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, tribe Athetini, comprising approximately 16 described species. The genus is saproxylic, inhabiting dead wood habitats including subcortical galleries, rotting tree trunks, and polypore fruiting bodies. Larval morphology was first described in 2018 based on two European species, revealing diagnostic characters for the genus and distinct morphological differences between early (L1) and late (L2–3) larval instars.
Dorcatoma
Dorcatoma is a genus of small beetles in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), comprising more than 70 species distributed across temperate regions worldwide but absent from tropical areas. Adults and larvae are closely associated with dead wood, particularly wood softened and decomposed by fungi. Several species have been documented developing within the fruiting bodies of bracket fungi.
Enoclerus ichneumoneus
Orange-banded Clerid, Orange-banded Checkered Beetle
Enoclerus ichneumoneus is a conspicuous species of checkered beetle (family Cleridae) found in eastern North America. It is distinguished by a wide orange band across the middle of the elytra and an elongate scutellum. The species is commonly encountered on dead or dying hardwood trees, where it hunts woodboring beetles and their larvae. Its bright coloration and fuzzy appearance have been suggested to represent mimicry of velvet ants (Mutillidae), though this hypothesis remains incompletely tested.
Euryuridae
Euryuridae is a family of flat-backed millipedes in the order Polydesmida. The family includes at least four genera and approximately 14 described species. Members are endemic to the Nearctic region. One well-studied species, Euryurus leachii, has been used to investigate thermal tolerance in detritivorous arthropods.
Euryurus
flat-backed millipede
Euryurus is a genus of flat-backed millipedes in the family Euryuridae, containing approximately 14 described species. These millipedes are endemic to the Nearctic region and are commonly found in forested habitats. The genus has been subject to ecological research, particularly regarding thermal tolerance in Euryurus leachii, which has a critical thermal maximum of approximately 40.5°C.
Grynocharis
bark-gnawing beetles
Grynocharis is a genus of bark-gnawing beetles in the family Lophocateridae, established by C.G. Thomson in 1859. The genus contains at least four described species distributed across Europe and North America. These beetles are associated with dead wood habitats. The family placement has been subject to taxonomic revision, with some sources historically placing Grynocharis in Trogossitidae.
Hammerschmidtia
Hammerschmidtia is a Holarctic genus of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the tribe Brachyopini. Larvae develop in sap under the bark of freshly fallen trees, particularly decaying aspen (Populus tremula). The genus includes five described species, with H. ferruginea being endangered in parts of its range due to habitat loss.
Hyperplatys maculata
Hyperplatys maculata is a species of longhorn beetle in the subfamily Lamiinae, described by Haldeman in 1847. It is a wood-boring cerambycid with documented associations to dead branches of red buckeye (Aesculus pavia). The species has been reared from cut wood in Missouri, representing a documented larval host record.
Lathropus rhabdophloeoides
Lathropus rhabdophloeoides is a species of small, flattened beetle in the family Laemophloeidae, commonly known as lined flat bark beetles. Species in this genus are associated with dead or decaying wood and bark, where they inhabit the concealed spaces beneath bark surfaces. The specific epithet 'rhabdophloeoides' suggests a resemblance to the genus Rhabdophloeus, a related laemophloeid genus. Like other members of Laemophloeidae, this species is likely cryptic in habit and difficult to detect without specialized collecting methods.
Lophocateridae
Lophocateridae is a small family of cleroid beetles comprising over 100 species in 14+ genera. Formerly treated as a subfamily or tribe of Trogossitidae, molecular phylogenetic analyses led to its elevation to family rank in 2019. The family is recovered as sister to Chaetosomatidae and Trogossitidae sensu stricto. Extant species occupy diverse ecological niches including fungivory, herbivory, and predation, primarily in association with dead wood habitats. The family has a fossil record extending to the Early Cretaceous.
Mezira pacifica
Mezira pacifica is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, described by Usinger in 1936. The species is found in western North America. Flat bugs (Aradidae) are characterized by their extremely flattened bodies and are typically associated with dead wood or bark habitats. As with other members of this family, M. pacifica likely feeds on fungal hyphae through its piercing-sucking mouthparts.
Mordellochroa
Mordellochroa is a genus of tumbling flower beetles in the family Mordellidae, containing approximately eight described species distributed across Europe, North America, temperate Asia, and Australia. Species within this genus are saproxylic, with larval development occurring in dead wood. The genus includes both widespread and regionally restricted species, with some demonstrating specific habitat requirements such as preserved natural forests with large amounts of coarse woody debris.
Namunaria pacifica
Namunaria pacifica is a species of cylindrical bark beetle in the family Zopheridae, first described by Horn in 1878. It is one of approximately 20 species in the genus Namunaria, which belongs to the tribe Synchitini. The species is found in western North America, with records from British Columbia, Canada. Like other members of its genus, it is associated with dead wood habitats.
Nannium
Nannium is a genus of flat bugs in the family Aradidae, established by Bergroth in 1898. Members of this genus are true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies, an adaptation for living in narrow spaces under bark or within decaying wood. The genus belongs to a family of insects commonly known as flat bugs or bark bugs, which are primarily associated with dead and decaying wood habitats.
Nathrius brevipennis
Nathrius brevipennis is a small longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) native to the Palearctic region that has become cosmopolitan through human-mediated transport in timber and wood packaging. Adults measure 4–7 mm in length. The species is polyphagous on dead twigs of broadleaved trees, with documented hosts spanning at least 15 genera including Alnus, Rosa, Fraxinus, Corylus, Ficus, Castanea, Salix, Juglans, Quercus, Morus, Cornus, Ceratonia, Pistacia, Ziziphus, Robinia, and Ostrya. Its invasive spread has led to first records in Australia and other regions outside its native range.
Nemapogon cloacella
Cork Moth
A small fungus moth with wingspan 10–18 mm, characterized by irregularly mottled forewings in black, brown, white and grey. Larvae feed primarily on bracket fungi, particularly oak mazegill (Daedalea quercina) and birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinus), with plant debris consumed when fungal hosts are unavailable. Adults are crepuscular, active throughout summer, and typically encountered at dusk. Widespread across western Palearctic and North America, with preferred habitat in woodlands containing abundant dead trees.
Neoproxius schwarzii
Neoproxius schwarzii is a species of narrow-waisted bark beetle in the family Salpingidae. Members of this genus are small, elongate beetles associated with dead or decaying wood. The species was described by American entomologist Ernst A. Schwarz, after whom it is named. Like other salpingids, it likely inhabits forested environments where it contributes to decomposition processes.
Odinia
Odinia is a genus of flies in the family Odiniidae, comprising more than 20 described species. Members of this genus are associated with dead wood habitats, where they interact with xylophilous insects. Larvae are carnivorous and may exhibit parasitic behavior toward wood-inhabiting beetles and flies. The genus was established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830.
Oedalea
Oedalea is a genus of predaceous flies in the family Hybotidae, subfamily Oedaleinae. Members are characterized by robust bodies, conspicuously long antennae, and raptorial hind legs adapted for capturing prey. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed primarily across the Holarctic region, with records from Europe, Asia, and North America. Adults are typically associated with vegetation, where they hunt small arthropods.
Olisthaerinae
Olisthaerinae is a small subfamily of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) characterized by a 5-5-5 tarsal formula and morphological similarity to Phloeocharinae. The group is primarily associated with dead conifer bark habitats. Only two species are documented in North America: Olisthaerus megacephalus and O. substriatus, with a range extending from Alaska across Canada to New York. The biology of this subfamily remains poorly understood.
Oodera
Oodera is the sole genus in the monotypic family Ooderidae, a group of chalcidoid wasps elevated to family rank in 2022. Species range from 3.6 to 17 mm and are distinguished by raptorial forelegs and a mantis-like habitus. Almost all species are parasitoids of xylophagous beetle larvae in families Buprestidae and Curculionidae. The genus occurs in warm regions of the Palearctic, Afrotropical, and Indomalayan realms, with one introduced species in the Nearctic.
Osmoderma
Typical Hermit Beetles, Hermit Beetles
Osmoderma is a genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Cetoniinae, commonly known as hermit beetles. The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with species found across Europe, parts of Asia, and North America. Several European species, particularly O. eremita and O. barnabita, are of significant conservation concern due to habitat loss and are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. The genus is characterized by its dependence on tree hollows for larval development, making it highly vulnerable to forest management practices that remove dead wood and veteran trees.
saproxylicconservationHabitats-Directivetree-hollowsveteran-treesindicator-speciesumbrella-specieswood-mouldCetoniinaeScarabaeidaeHolarcticEuropeNorth-Americathreatened-speciesdead-woodforest-managementcitizen-sciencedetection-dogsex-situ-breedingpollardingtraditional-agricultural-landscapesmetapopulationhabitat-fragmentationold-growth-forestbroad-leaved-treesoaklimewillowbeechorchardshedgerowsurban-parkspheromone-monitoringradio-trackingphoretic-mitesScopoli-1763Le-Peletier-&-Serville-1828O.-eremitaO.-barnabitaO.-eremicolahermit-beetlePediacus depressus
flat bark beetle
Pediacus depressus is a species of flat bark beetle in the family Cucujidae. It is distributed across Europe and Northern Asia, excluding China. The species was first described by Herbst in 1797 (or 1794 in some sources) under the name Colydium depressum. As a member of the flat bark beetles, it is adapted to living under bark and in similar concealed habitats.
Pediacus gracilis
Pediacus gracilis is a species of flat bark beetle in the family Cucujidae, described by Thomas in 2004. The genus Pediacus comprises flattened beetles associated with dead wood habitats. This species is distinguished from congeners by its slender body form, as indicated by its specific epithet. Records indicate presence in North America, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Phymatodes
Phymatodes is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in the tribe Callidiini, with more than 50 described species distributed across the northern hemisphere. The genus is most diverse in western North America, where 26 species are currently recognized. Species exhibit considerable taxonomic complexity, with recent nomenclatural revisions clarifying misapplied names and synonymies. Some species are associated with specific host plants, including grape vines (Vitis) and maple (Acer), while others have broader host associations.
Piestinae
Piestinae is a subfamily of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) characterized by an elongate, flattened body form and antennae inserted beneath shelf-like projections of the frons. Members are primarily associated with decaying wood habitats, where many species occur under bark. The subfamily includes several genera, notably Piestus and Siagonium. Ecologically, they function as saprophages or mycophages in dead wood ecosystems.
Pityobius
Pityobius is a genus of click beetles (Elateridae) in the subfamily Pityobiinae. Members of this genus are associated with woody habitats, particularly dead or decaying wood. The genus was established by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853 and is native to North America.
Priognathus monilicornis
Necklace-horned Dead Log Beetle
A small beetle in the family Pythidae, commonly known as the Necklace-horned Dead Log Beetle. Found in decaying wood habitats across western and central Canada. The common name refers to the beaded or necklace-like appearance of its antennae.
Pseudocorticus blairi
Pseudocorticus blairi is a species of cylindrical bark beetle in the family Zopheridae, subfamily Colydiinae. Described by Hinton in 1935, this species belongs to a genus of small, elongate beetles associated with dead wood habitats. The genus Pseudocorticus occurs in Middle America, with this species recorded from the region. As with many colydiine beetles, detailed biological information remains limited.
Pytho
dead log beetles, dead log bark beetles
Pytho is a small genus of saproxylic beetles in the family Pythidae, commonly known as dead log beetles or dead log bark beetles. The genus comprises approximately nine to ten described species distributed across the Holarctic region, recognized as typically boreal taxa. Species inhabit the cambial layer of dead trees, particularly conifers, where larvae feed on partially decomposed wood and bark. Several species have disjunct distributions spanning North America, Europe, and Japan, reflecting complex historical biogeographic patterns involving vicariance and dispersal across Beringia. Some species, such as P. abieticola, are considered relicts of primeval forests and are in decline across much of Central Europe.
Pytho americanus
dead log beetle
Pytho americanus is a species of dead log beetle in the family Pythidae. It is native to North America, with records from Canada and the northern United States. The species exhibits notable cold tolerance adaptations, including the ability to overwinter in both larval and adult stages and the synthesis of glycerol during cold acclimation. These physiological traits allow it to persist in climates with severe winter conditions.
Rhyncolus minor
Rhyncolus minor is a species of weevil in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Cossoninae. Members of the genus Rhyncolus are typically associated with dead wood and are considered secondary colonizers of decaying timber. This species is part of a group of small, cylindrical weevils characterized by elongated rostra and fossorial (burrowing) habits.
Rhyopsocus celtis
Rhyopsocus celtis is a species of psocid (barklouse) in the family Psoquillidae, described by Mockford in 2016. The specific epithet "celtis" indicates its association with hackberry trees (Celtis spp.), which serve as its host. The species belongs to a small genus of psocids that inhabit dead or dying woody vegetation.
Rhyssella nitida
Rhyssella nitida is a diurnal ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. The female possesses an exceptionally long ovipositor used to drill into wood and locate host larvae. It is an external parasitoid of wood-wasp larvae in the genus Xiphydria. The species has been documented at blacklight traps, though this appears to be an exception to its normally diurnal activity pattern.
Schizotus
fire-colored beetles
Schizotus is a genus of fire-colored beetles in the family Pyrochroidae, established by Newman in 1838. The genus contains at least three described species distributed across the Palaearctic region. Adults are small beetles, 7–9 mm in length, with distinctive pectinate (comb-like) antennae. Members are associated with dead and decaying wood, where larvae develop beneath loose bark.
Scobicia
horned powder-post beetles
Scobicia is a genus of wood-boring beetles in the family Bostrichidae, containing approximately 11 described species. Members are small beetles, with adults of at least one species measuring 3.3–4.5 mm in length. The genus is placed in the tribe Xyloperthini and is distributed across southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East. At least some species are pests of dead or felled timber, creating extensive tunnel systems in stored wood.
Stictoleptura
Stictoleptura is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) distributed across the Holarctic region, with species in Europe, Asia, and North America. The genus includes medium-sized beetles typically associated with broadleaved woodland habitats. The first genome sequence for the genus was published for Stictoleptura scutellata, a scarce species in Britain associated with ancient woodland and wood pasture.
Temnoscheila chlorodia
green bark-gnawing beetle, green bark beetle, Pine Trogossitid Beetle
Temnoscheila chlorodia is a bark-gnawing beetle in the family Trogossitidae, known by common names including green bark-gnawing beetle and Pine Trogossitid Beetle. Adults are metallic green or blue predators that forage beneath bark of dead trees. The species occurs in western North America and shows bimodal adult activity in late spring and late summer. Both adults and larvae are predatory, hunting in decaying wood and associated with wood-boring insect nests and wood-decay fungi.
Tenebroides rugosipennis
Tenebroides rugosipennis is a species of bark-gnawing beetle in the family Trogossitidae. Members of this genus are generally associated with dead or decaying wood and fungal habitats. This species is poorly documented in scientific literature, with minimal published information available regarding its biology and ecology. It belongs to a family containing both predatory and mycophagous species.
Trichochrous ferrugineus
Trichochrous ferrugineus is a species of false click beetle in the family Eucnemidae, a group of saproxylic beetles associated with decaying wood. The genus Trichochrous comprises small to medium-sized beetles characterized by their elongated bodies and reduced or non-functional clicking mechanism compared to true click beetles (Elateridae). Species in this genus are typically found in forested habitats where they develop in dead or dying hardwoods.
Urgleptes querci
Oak Long-horned Beetle
Urgleptes querci is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Asa Fitch in 1858. It is a small to medium-sized cerambycid native to eastern North America, where it develops in dead wood of various hardwood trees. The species is highly polyphagous and has been recorded from multiple host plants including oak, pawpaw, and other deciduous trees. Adults are active during the growing season and are likely nocturnal or crepuscular, as is typical for many Lamiinae.
Uropodina
Uropodina is an infraorder of mites in the order Mesostigmata, characterized by morphologically variable forms with fused sternal and ventral shields, short legs with reduced setae, and stigmata positioned between the second and third leg pairs. Most species inhabit soil, forest litter, and decaying organic matter, where they function primarily as predators of small invertebrates. Many species exhibit phoresy during the deutonymph stage, attaching to insects and other arthropods for dispersal using a secreted elastic pedicel. Reproduction is predominantly sexual, though parthenogenesis occurs in some species with males rare or absent.
Vrilletta
Vrilletta is a genus of small beetles in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), containing 10 described species distributed primarily in North America. The genus was established by J.L. LeConte in 1874 and is classified within the subfamily Xyletininae. Species are recorded from western and eastern North America, with several endemic to California. These beetles are associated with dead wood and woody materials.
Xylobiini
Xylobiini is a tribe of false click beetles within the family Eucnemidae, subfamily Melasinae. Members of this tribe are associated with decaying wood habitats and are part of the diverse elateriform beetle fauna. The tribe was established by Reitter in 1911 and includes genera characterized by particular morphological features of the prosternal process and antennae. Xylobiini represents one of several tribes within the predominantly saproxylic subfamily Melasinae.