Forest-beetles
Guides
Anthribus
fungus weevils
Anthribus is a genus of fungus weevils in the family Anthribidae. Species occur in forest habitats including coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests. Adults of Anthribus nebulosus have been observed to overwinter in bark crevices of coniferous trees with thicker bark. Flight activity is seasonal and weather-sensitive, with observed activity from May to July in central European populations.
Arthromacra
Arthromacra is a genus of darkling beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, established by Kirby in 1837. The genus is native to North America and has been recorded from the northeastern United States, particularly Vermont. Members of this genus are part of the diverse darkling beetle fauna that inhabits forested and terrestrial environments. The genus is represented by approximately 1,850 observations on iNaturalist, indicating moderate documentation of its species in the field.
Athous
click beetles
Athous is a genus of click beetles (family Elateridae) established by Eschscholtz in 1829. The genus has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with numerous Nearctic and Palearctic species transferred to other genera including Hemicrepidius, Harminius, and Acanthathous. Species occur across forested habitats in the Nearctic and Palearctic regions, with some species showing distinct habitat preferences for either broadleaved or coniferous woodlands. Larvae are predaceous or feed on dead invertebrates, and adults occasionally feed on plant material.
Cerylon
Cerylon is a genus of minute bark beetles in the family Cerylonidae, established by Latreille in 1802. The genus comprises approximately 11 described species distributed across Europe and North America. These beetles are small, inconspicuous inhabitants of forest ecosystems where they occupy specialized microhabitats on and beneath bark.
Cychramus
Cychramus is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae, established by Kugelann in 1794. The genus comprises approximately six described species distributed across the Holarctic region. Members of this genus are associated with fermenting plant sap and fungal substrates. They are small beetles typical of the sap beetle guild, though specific ecological details for the genus remain limited.
Dendrophilinae
clown beetles
Dendrophilinae is a subfamily of clown beetles (family Histeridae) established by Reitter in 1909. It comprises more than 30 genera and approximately 490 described species. Members of this subfamily share the compact, convex body form characteristic of Histeridae but are distinguished by specific morphological traits and ecological associations.
Eropterus
Eropterus is a genus of net-winged beetles in the family Lycidae, established by Green in 1951. The genus contains approximately 10 described species distributed primarily in North America and East Asia. Species in this genus share the characteristic reticulated elytra typical of Lycidae, with some species displaying distinctive color patterns including yellow or orange markings. The genus includes both historically described species (E. trilineatus, 1846) and more recently described taxa (E. masumotoi, 2011).
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.
Holostrophus
polypore fungus beetles
Holostrophus is a genus of small beetles in the family Tetratomidae, commonly known as polypore fungus beetles. The genus contains seventeen described species distributed across North America and Asia. These beetles are closely associated with bracket fungi (polypores) on decaying wood. The genus was established by G.H. Horn in 1888.
Hypotelus
Hypotelus is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Piestinae. The genus was established by Erichson in 1839 and contains species characterized by their association with decaying organic matter. Members of this genus are part of the diverse staphylinid fauna that contribute to decomposition processes in forest ecosystems.
Lucifotychus
Lucifotychus is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Pselaphinae, tribe Tychini. It contains approximately 19 described species. The genus was established by Park and Wagner in 1962. These beetles belong to a group of small, often cryptic beetles that inhabit forest floor environments.
Melandryidae
False Darkling Beetles
Melandryidae, or false darkling beetles, is a family of beetles in the superfamily Tenebrionoidea containing approximately 420 species in 60 genera. Members are found worldwide and are primarily associated with rotting wood and wood-decomposing fungi in both larval and adult stages. The family has a fossil record extending back to at least the mid-Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) with specimens in Burmese amber, and the tribe Hypulini is documented from late Eocene Baltic amber. Many species are saproxylic, inhabiting dead and decaying wood in forest ecosystems.
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.
Morionini
Morionini is a tribe of ground beetles (Carabidae) in the subfamily Pterostichinae, established by Brullé in 1837. The tribe is represented in the Western Hemisphere by at least two genera, including the Neotropical genus Moriosomus. Members of this tribe are primarily associated with forest habitats, particularly under bark and in decaying wood. The tribe's classification and generic composition have been subject to taxonomic revision, with ongoing work to clarify species boundaries and geographic distributions.
Orchesiini
false darkling beetles
Orchesiini is a tribe of false darkling beetles within the family Melandryidae, established by Mulsant in 1856. The tribe contains at least three genera—Orchesia, Microscapha, and Lederia—with approximately seven described species. These beetles are classified in the superfamily Tenebrionoidea and are part of the diverse assemblage of darkling beetle relatives. Members of Orchesiini are small to medium-sized beetles found primarily in forested habitats where they occur in association with decaying wood and fungi.
Perothops
beech-tree beetles, perothopid beetles
Perothops is a genus of false click beetles (family Eucnemidae) and the sole genus in the monotypic subfamily Perothopinae. The genus contains three species: P. witticki, P. cervinus, and P. muscidus. Adults are small (10–18 mm), dark-colored beetles found in forests across the United States. The genus was historically treated as a separate family before being reclassified into Eucnemidae in 1993.
Phloeonomus
Protea Rove Beetles
Phloeonomus is a genus of ocellate rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae, containing approximately eight described species. Species within this genus are obligate saproxylic beetles associated with decaying wood and polypore fungi. The larval stages have been characterized for at least one species (P. punctipennis), showing three instars with morphological differences in antennal, leg, and urogomphal proportions between early and late instars.
Prothalpia
Prothalpia is a genus of false darkling beetles in the family Melandryidae, established by LeConte in 1862. The genus contains at least four described species distributed across North America and East Asia. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized beetles associated with decaying wood and forest habitats. The genus is part of the diverse assemblage of saproxylic beetles that contribute to wood decomposition processes.
Schizophilus
Schizophilus is a genus of false click beetles (family Eucnemidae) established by Bonvouloir in 1871. It is the type genus of the subfamily Schizophilinae, a small group within the Elateroidea superfamily. The genus contains relatively few described species and remains poorly known in terms of biology and ecology. Specimens are rarely collected, contributing to limited understanding of their natural history.
Silvanidae
Silvan Flat Bark Beetles, Silvanid Flat Bark Beetles
Silvanidae is a family of small beetles in the superfamily Cucujoidea, comprising approximately 68 genera and 500 described species. Members are found on all continents except Antarctica, with highest diversity in the Old World tropics. The family is divided into two subfamilies: Brontinae (larger, loosely jointed beetles with long antennae and mandibular mycangia) and Silvaninae (smaller beetles with closed procoxal cavities). While many species inhabit subcortical environments under bark, several genera have become economically significant stored product pests.
Simplocaria
pill beetles
Simplocaria is a genus of pill beetles (family Byrrhidae) established by Stephens in 1829. The genus contains more than 30 described species. Members of this genus are associated with forest habitats in northern regions. Simplocaria metallica has been specifically studied in northern Alberta, Canada, in relation to forest habitat characteristics.
Stethon
Stethon is a genus of beetles in the family Eucnemidae, first described by LeConte in 1866. Members of this genus are classified within the false click beetles, a group characterized by their inability to produce the clicking sound typical of true click beetles (Elateridae). The genus is part of the diverse beetle fauna of North America.
Stictostix
Stictostix is a genus of clown beetles (family Histeridae) established by Marseul in 1870. It belongs to the subfamily Tribalinae within the diverse beetle superfamily Histeroidea. The genus contains relatively few documented species and remains poorly studied compared to more speciose histerid genera. Species in this genus are associated with forest floor and decaying wood habitats, where they function as predators of other small invertebrates.
Tritomini
pleasing fungus beetles
Tritomini is a tribe of pleasing fungus beetles within the family Erotylidae, established by Curtis in 1834. The tribe comprises approximately 15 genera including Tritoma, Triplax, Ischyrus, Mycotretus, Pselaphacus, and Haematochiton, with at least 30 described species. Members are exclusively Neotropical in distribution and are obligate associates of macrofungi, particularly basidiomes. The tribe has been subject to recent taxonomic revision focusing on genitalic morphology and larval stages, with immature stages now described for multiple Pselaphacus species.
Trogossitinae
Trogossitinae is a subfamily of beetles within the family Trogossitidae, first described by Latreille in 1802. Members of this subfamily are primarily associated with forest habitats and are often found under bark or in decaying wood. The group has been the subject of taxonomic revision, with a comprehensive review published in 2014. The subfamily contains multiple genera and is part of the cleroid beetle lineage within the superfamily Cleroidea.
Ulomini
darkling beetles
Ulomini is a tribe of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) established by Blanchard in 1845. The tribe contains more than 20 genera, including the large genus Uloma with over 200 species and subspecies worldwide. Members are primarily associated with forest habitats and decaying wood. Larval stages of several species have been described, showing oligopod morphology with diagnostic abdominal segment features.
Xestipyge
clown beetles
Xestipyge is a genus of clown beetles in the family Histeridae, established by Marseul in 1862. The genus contains at least 10 described species distributed across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Species in this genus are small histerid beetles associated with forest and woodland habitats.
Xylopinus
Xylopinus is a genus of darkling beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, established by LeConte in 1862. The genus contains at least three described species distributed in North America. Members of this genus are part of the diverse darkling beetle fauna, which are generally associated with dry or decaying organic matter. The genus name suggests an association with wood (from Greek xylon, meaning wood), though specific habitat preferences for Xylopinus species are not well documented.
Zopheridae
Ironclad beetles
Zopheridae is a family of beetles in the superfamily Tenebrionoidea, commonly known as ironclad beetles. The family has expanded considerably in recent years to include the former families Monommatidae and Colydiidae as subfamilies or tribes. It comprises approximately 190 genera and 1700 species distributed worldwide. Members are characterized by exceptionally hardened exoskeletons that make specimens difficult to pin for collection. The family includes diverse feeding habits, with many species associated with rotting wood or fungus, while some Colydiinae are predatory or feed on living plant tissue.
Zygaenodini
fungus weevils
Zygaenodini is a tribe of fungus weevils within the family Anthribidae, characterized by their association with fungal hosts. The tribe comprises at least three genera—Araeoderes, Eusphyrus, and Ormiscus—and approximately 20 described species. Members of this tribe are part of the broader fungus weevil group, which derives its common name from larval and adult feeding habits tied to fungi.