Elateridae
Guides
Acteniceromorphus sagitticollis
Acteniceromorphus sagitticollis is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The genus Acteniceromorphus was established to accommodate species previously placed in Actenicerus, distinguished by morphological differences in antennae and pronotal structure. This species is part of a group of elaterid beetles associated with moist woodland and riparian habitats. Available records are limited, with 35 observations documented on iNaturalist.
Acteniceromorphus volitans
Acteniceromorphus volitans is a species of click beetle (family Elateridae). The genus name suggests morphological similarity to the genus Actenicerus, a group of elaterid beetles. As a member of the click beetle family, it possesses the characteristic prosternal process that fits into a mesosternal groove, enabling the "clicking" mechanism used for righting itself when overturned. The species epithet "volitans" is Latin for "flying" or "hovering," though the significance of this name for the species' biology is not documented.
Acteniceromorphus vulneratus
Acteniceromorphus vulneratus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The genus Acteniceromorphus belongs to the click beetle family, characterized by their ability to produce a clicking sound and jump when threatened using a prosternal process that fits into a mesosternal groove. This species is documented in entomological collections and has been recorded in biodiversity databases.
Aeolus
click beetles
Aeolus is a genus of click beetles (family Elateridae) comprising over 220 described species distributed worldwide. Members of this genus possess the characteristic elaterid body plan with a prosternal process that engages with a mesosternal cavity, enabling the 'clicking' mechanism used to right themselves when overturned. The genus was established by Eschscholtz in 1829 and is currently classified within the subfamily Agrypninae and tribe Oophorini.
Aeolus amabilis
Aeolus amabilis is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by LeConte in 1853. It belongs to a genus characterized by small to medium-sized beetles with the typical elaterid body plan. The species has been recorded in Ontario, Canada, though detailed biological information remains limited in available sources.
Aeolus cribratus
Click beetle
Aeolus cribratus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. Click beetles are named for their ability to right themselves using a prosternal process that fits into a mesosternal groove, producing an audible clicking sound. Members of the genus Aeolus are generally small to medium-sized beetles. The specific epithet 'cribratus' refers to a sieve-like or punctured appearance, likely describing surface sculpturing on the elytra or pronotum.
Aeolus mellillus
Sweet Click Beetle
Aeolus mellillus, commonly known as the Sweet Click Beetle, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1836. It is a relatively small click beetle with documented records from the northeastern United States, particularly Vermont. The common name "Sweet Click Beetle" distinguishes it from other members of the genus.
Aeolus subornatus
Aeolus subornatus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The genus Aeolus contains numerous small, often inconspicuously colored species that are frequently overlooked due to their cryptic habits. Like other elaterids, adults possess the characteristic prosternal process that enables the clicking/jumping defensive mechanism. The species is poorly documented in scientific literature, with only three observations recorded on iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.
Aeolus trilineatus
Three-lined Click Beetle
Aeolus trilineatus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The genus name derives from Aeolus, the Greek keeper of the winds, referencing the wind-dispersed nature of many beetle species. The species epithet 'trilineatus' refers to the three longitudinal lines characteristic of this beetle's elytral pattern. Like other elaterids, it possesses a prosternal process that fits into a mesosternal groove, enabling the distinctive clicking mechanism used to right itself when overturned.
Agriotes
click beetles, wireworms (larvae)
Agriotes is a large genus of click beetles (family Elateridae) containing approximately 274 described species distributed across the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The genus includes numerous agricultural pest species whose larvae, known as wireworms, feed on crop roots and tubers. Several Palearctic species have become invasive in North America, where they threaten potato and cereal production. Adults are attracted to species-specific sex pheromones, enabling monitoring and mass trapping programs.
Agriotes apicalis
Apical Click Beetle
Agriotes apicalis is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, first described by LeConte in 1884. It occurs in western North America, with documented records from British Columbia, Canada. Like other members of the genus Agriotes, it possesses the characteristic clicking mechanism of the family, used for righting itself when overturned. The specific epithet 'apicalis' likely refers to a distinctive marking or feature at the apex of the elytra or body.
Agriotes arcanus
Arcane Click Beetle
Agriotes arcanus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, first described by W.J. Brown in 1933. The species belongs to a genus containing numerous economically significant agricultural pests, though specific information about this particular species remains limited. It is known from Ontario, Canada, based on available distribution records. Like other members of Elateridae, adults possess the characteristic clicking mechanism that allows them to right themselves when flipped onto their backs.
Agriotes fucosus
Dark Click Beetle
Agriotes fucosus, commonly known as the Dark Click Beetle, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. It is native to North America with documented records from several Canadian provinces including Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia. The species is part of a genus containing agricultural pests whose larvae (wireworms) damage crop roots.
Agriotes insanus
Agriotes insanus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. It belongs to a genus that includes several agricultural pest species whose larvae (wireworms) damage crop roots and tubers. Specific ecological and biological details for A. insanus remain poorly documented in available sources.
Agriotes isabellinus
Isabelline Click Beetle
Agriotes isabellinus is a click beetle (family Elateridae) known as the Isabelline Click Beetle. It is native to eastern Canada, with records from Ontario and Québec. As a member of the genus Agriotes, its larvae are likely wireworms, though specific life history details for this species remain poorly documented. The species has been detected through environmental DNA methods in studies targeting invasive pest detection.
Agriotes limosus
Muddy Click Beetle
Agriotes limosus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the Muddy Click Beetle. The species is native to North America with documented records across multiple Canadian provinces. As with other Agriotes species, the larvae (wireworms) are soil-dwelling and may feed on plant roots. The species has been detected in environmental DNA studies of green yard waste, indicating its potential for inadvertent transport through human activities.
Agriotes oblongicollis
Oblong-necked Click Beetle
Agriotes oblongicollis is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the Oblong-necked Click Beetle. Larvae of this genus are known as wireworms and are significant agricultural pests. The species is native to eastern North America, with confirmed records from Ontario and Québec, Canada. As a member of the economically important genus Agriotes, it has potential significance for crop protection and pest management, though specific damage records for this species are not well documented.
Agriotes opaculus
Opaque Click Beetle
Agriotes opaculus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, native to western Canada. The species has been documented in Alberta and British Columbia. Larvae of related Agriotes species are known as wireworms and are agricultural pests, though specific pest status for A. opaculus has not been established. The species is distinguished from similar click beetles by its opaque, non-shiny elytra.
Agriotes pubescens
Pubescent Click Beetle
Agriotes pubescens is a Nearctic click beetle (family Elateridae) native to North America. It commonly co-occurs with Agriotes mancus on farmland in central Canada, where it is frequently collected in surveys targeting invasive Palearctic Agriotes species. Despite its abundance in agricultural settings, its life history and potential economic impact remain poorly studied. The species shares an identical sex pheromone—geranyl octanoate—with the invasive Palearctic species A. lineatus, resulting in cross-attraction between the two species in pheromone-baited traps.
Agriotes quebecensis
Quebec Click Beetle
Agriotes quebecensis is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, native to eastern Canada. The species was described by Brown in 1933. Distribution records indicate occurrence in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. As a member of the genus Agriotes, the larvae likely develop as soil-dwelling wireworms, though specific life history details for this species remain undocumented.
Agriotes sparsus
Western Wireworm
Agriotes sparsus is a click beetle in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the Western Wireworm. The species is native to western North America and has been recorded in British Columbia, Canada. Like other members of the genus Agriotes, the larval stage is a wireworm—a soil-dwelling pest that feeds on plant roots and tubers. The species is of agricultural concern due to its potential to damage crops.
Agriotes stabilis
Stable Click Beetle
Agriotes stabilis is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, found across central and eastern Canada. The species was described by LeConte in 1853. Like other members of the genus Agriotes, the larvae are likely soil-dwelling and may be referred to as wireworms, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented. The species has been recorded in British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario.
Agriotes tardus
Tardy Click Beetle
Agriotes tardus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, described by W.J. Brown in 1933. It is known from western Canada, with records from Alberta and British Columbia. The species is part of the economically important genus Agriotes, which includes several agricultural pests whose larvae (wireworms) damage crop roots and tubers. However, specific information about the biology and pest status of A. tardus itself remains limited in published literature.
Agriotes thevenetii
Thevenet's Click Beetle
Agriotes thevenetii is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, native to western North America. The species is known from British Columbia, Canada, and is closely related to other Agriotes species that are significant agricultural pests. Larvae of related Agriotes species, commonly called wireworms, are known to damage root crops. The species was described by George Henry Horn in 1872.
Agriotina
Agriotina is a subtribe of click beetles (Elateridae) established by Laporte in 1840. It belongs to the tribe Agriotini within the subfamily Elaterinae. Members are characterized by morphological traits associated with the elaterid body plan, including the prosternal process that interacts with the mesosternum to enable the 'clicking' escape mechanism. The subtribe encompasses multiple genera of generally small to medium-sized beetles.
Agrypninae
click beetles (subfamily)
Agrypninae is a subfamily of click beetles (family Elateridae) established by Candèze in 1857. It comprises at least 130 genera and more than 430 described species worldwide, with substantial diversity in the Australian, Neotropical, Afrotropical, and Palaearctic regions. The subfamily includes five recognized tribes: Agrypnini, Drilini, Hemirhipini, Oophorini, and Pseudomelanactini. Notable genera include Monocrepidius (formerly Conoderus), one of the largest genera in Elateridae with approximately 380 species, as well as Selasia, Lacon, Lolosia, and Microselasia.
Agrypnini
Agrypnini is a tribe of click beetles (family Elateridae) established by Candèze in 1857. The tribe belongs to the subfamily Agrypninae and contains approximately 24 recognized genera distributed across multiple continents. Members share the characteristic click beetle morphology and jumping mechanism enabled by the prosternal process. The genus Agrypnus, the type genus, is among the most species-rich and widely distributed within the tribe.
Alaus oculatus
Eastern Eyed Click Beetle, Eyed Elater
Alaus oculatus, commonly called the eastern eyed click beetle or eyed elater, is a large, striking click beetle native to eastern North America. Adults reach 25–45 mm in length and are immediately recognizable by the prominent false eyespots on their pronotum—large oval patches of dark scales framed in white that function in predator deterrence. The beetle possesses a remarkable clicking mechanism: a prosternal spine and mesosternal notch that, when flexed and released, produce an audible snap capable of launching the beetle several inches into the air. This behavior serves both defensive and righting functions. The larvae are predatory wireworms that inhabit decaying wood, feeding voraciously on other beetle larvae, particularly cerambycids.
Alaus patricius
Caribbean Eyed Click Beetle
Alaus patricius, known as the Caribbean Eyed Click Beetle, is a large click beetle in the family Elateridae. Like other members of the genus Alaus, it is characterized by prominent false eyespots on the pronotum that serve as a defensive adaptation against predators. The species exhibits the family's namesake clicking mechanism, using a prosternal spine and mesosternal notch to launch itself into the air when threatened or overturned. Larvae are predatory, inhabiting decaying wood where they hunt other insect larvae.
Ampedus apicatus
Poplar Click Beetle
Ampedus apicatus, commonly known as the Poplar Click Beetle, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The common name suggests an association with poplar trees (Populus spp.), though specific ecological relationships require confirmation. The species is documented across multiple Canadian provinces.
Ampedus atripennis
Ampedus atripennis is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, first described by Horn in 1871. It belongs to the genus Ampedus, a diverse group of beetles commonly known as click beetles due to their ability to right themselves using a prosternal process. The species has been documented in British Columbia, Canada, with limited observational records available.
Ampedus fuscatus
Ampedus fuscatus is a click beetle in the family Elateridae, described from North America by Melsheimer in 1845. Like other members of the genus Ampedus, it possesses the characteristic prosternal process that produces the clicking mechanism for which the family is named. The species has been documented in Ontario, Canada, with limited observational records available.
Ampedus horni
Ampedus horni is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The species belongs to the tribe Ampedini, a group characterized by often vivid coloration. Like other click beetles, it possesses the family-diagnostic prosternal process that enables the characteristic 'clicking' escape mechanism.
Ampedus luctuosus
Sorrowful Click Beetle
Ampedus luctuosus is a click beetle in the family Elateridae, distributed across central and eastern Canada. The species is known from limited observations, with 11 records on iNaturalist. Like other members of its genus, it possesses the characteristic click mechanism that allows beetles to right themselves when overturned.
Ampedus melanotoides
Ampedus melanotoides is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by W.J. Brown in 1933. It is known from a limited number of records in eastern Canada. As a member of the genus Ampedus, it belongs to a group of click beetles often associated with decaying wood and forest habitats. The species remains poorly documented in published literature.
Ampedus melsheimeri
Ampedus melsheimeri is a species of click beetle (family Elateridae) described by Leng in 1918. The species belongs to a genus of beetles commonly associated with decaying wood and fungal substrates. Records indicate it occurs in central and eastern Canada, with scattered observations suggesting it may be uncommon or undercollected. As with many Ampedus species, detailed natural history information remains limited.
Ampedus moerens
Sad Click Beetle
Ampedus moerens is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the Sad Click Beetle. It belongs to the tribe Ampedini within the subfamily Dendrometrinae. The species was described by LeConte in 1861. Records indicate presence in western and northern Canada, including Alberta and British Columbia.
Ampedus nigricans
Ampedus nigricans is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, first described by Germar in 1844. It is distributed across central and eastern Canada, with records from Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. As a member of the click beetle family, it possesses the characteristic prosternal process that enables the distinctive clicking mechanism used for righting itself when overturned.
Ampedus nigrinus
Black Click Beetle
Ampedus nigrinus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the Black Click Beetle. It has a Holarctic distribution with records from multiple Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, and Manitoba. The species belongs to a family characterized by the distinctive clicking mechanism used for righting themselves when overturned.
Ampedus pullus
Chick Click Beetle
Ampedus pullus is a click beetle in the family Elateridae, first described by Germar in 1844. It is known from Canada, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. The species has been documented through 28 iNaturalist observations.
Ampedus rubricus
Red Click Beetle
Ampedus rubricus, commonly known as the Red Click Beetle, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1825 and is native to eastern Canada. Adults are characterized by their reddish coloration and possess the family's namesake clicking mechanism for righting themselves when overturned. The species is relatively well-documented on citizen science platforms with over 300 observations recorded.
Ampedus sanguinipennis
Ampedus sanguinipennis is a click beetle in the family Elateridae, native to eastern North America. The species name "sanguinipennis" refers to the blood-red wing coloration characteristic of this beetle. It is one of numerous Ampedus species distinguished by bright coloration, often in red or orange tones. Records indicate presence in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States.
Ampedus sayi
Ampedus sayi is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. It belongs to the genus Ampedus, which comprises numerous species of small to medium-sized beetles characterized by their ability to produce an audible clicking sound. The species is known from eastern Canada, with records from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. As with other elaterids, it possesses a prosternal process that fits into a mesosternal groove, enabling the characteristic 'click' mechanism for righting itself when overturned.
Ampedus varipilis
Castle Click Beetle
A click beetle in the family Elateridae, found in western Canada. The species has been recorded from Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territory. Commonly known as the Castle Click Beetle, though the origin of this name is not documented in available sources. The specific epithet 'varipilis' likely refers to variable hairiness, a common naming convention in beetle taxonomy.
Ampedus xanthomus
Ampedus xanthomus is a click beetle in the family Elateridae. The species is known from a small number of observations, indicating it is either rare, poorly sampled, or restricted in range. As a member of the genus Ampedus, it possesses the characteristic click mechanism for righting itself when overturned. The specific epithet 'xanthomus' refers to yellow coloration, likely of body parts. Detailed biological information remains limited due to its rarity in collections and observations.
Anchastus augusti
August Coastal Click Beetle
Anchastus augusti is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the August Coastal Click Beetle. It belongs to a genus of beetles characterized by their ability to produce a clicking sound and perform aerial flips using a specialized prosternal spine and mesosternal groove mechanism. As a member of the click beetle family, it likely shares the group's general morphology and ecological habits, though specific details about this species remain limited in available sources.
Anchastus bicolor
Bicolored Click Beetle
Anchastus bicolor is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the Bicolored Click Beetle. The species has been documented in 95 observations on iNaturalist, indicating it is moderately well-recorded in citizen science databases. As a member of Elateridae, it possesses the characteristic clicking mechanism used for righting itself when overturned. Specific biological details remain limited in publicly available sources.
Anchastus cinereipennis
Ash-winged Click Beetle
A click beetle species in the family Elateridae, known from western Canada. The common name 'Ash-winged Click Beetle' refers to the grayish wing coloration. Like other elaterids, it possesses the characteristic clicking mechanism for righting itself when overturned.
Anchastus sericans
Anchastus sericans is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. It was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1866. The species belongs to the tribe Ampedini within the subfamily Elaterinae. It is one of several species in the genus Anchastus found in North America.
Anostirus bipunctatus
Anostirus bipunctatus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, described by W.J. Brown in 1936. The species is known from western North America, with records from British Columbia and Alberta in Canada. Like other elaterids, it possesses the family-characteristic prosternal process that enables the clicking mechanism used for righting itself when overturned.