Eyed-elater
Guides
Alaus lusciosus
Texas Eyed Click Beetle, Texas Click Beetle
Alaus lusciosus, the Texas Eyed Click Beetle, is a large click beetle (Elateridae) distinguished by prominent false eyespots on the pronotum. Adults measure 20–35 mm and are nearly identical to A. zunianus, with which they share rounder eyespots and ivory or beige mottling rather than stark white patterning. The species ranges from Texas to southern Colorado, Oklahoma, and Kansas, where adults are active during the day or at dusk and are strong fliers. Larvae are predatory, inhabiting decaying wood and preying on other beetle larvae and pupae.
Alaus melanops
Western Eyed Click Beetle
Alaus melanops, the Western Eyed Click Beetle, is a large elaterid beetle found in western North America. Adults measure 20–35 mm and possess distinctive eyespots on the pronotum—black patches surrounded by white rings that serve as defensive mimicry. The species exhibits the family's characteristic clicking mechanism, using a prosternal spine and mesosternal notch to produce an audible snap that can launch the beetle into the air to escape predators or right itself. Larvae are predatory, inhabiting decaying wood where they feed on other beetle larvae and pupae.
Alaus myops
Small-eyed Click Beetle, Blind Click Beetle
Alaus myops, commonly known as the Small-eyed Click Beetle or Blind Click Beetle, is a large elaterid beetle distinguished by its reduced eyespots compared to its congener A. oculatus. Adults are primarily slate gray in coloration and active in southern pine forests. The species exhibits the characteristic clicking mechanism of the family Elateridae, using a prosternal spine and mesosternal notch to launch itself when disturbed. Both adults and larvae are predatory, inhabiting loose bark on pine trees, logs, and stumps.
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.
Alaus zunianus
Zuni Click Beetle, Arizona Eyed Click Beetle
Alaus zunianus, the Zuni Click Beetle or Arizona Eyed Click Beetle, is a large, striking species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. It is characterized by prominent false eyespots on the pronotum, a robust body, and the ability to produce an audible clicking sound by snapping a prosternal spine into a mesosternal groove. This species appears confined to Arizona and is distinguished from related eyed elaters by its rounder eyespots and ivory or beige mottled coloration rather than stark white.