Soil-dwelling
Guides
Cydninae
burrower bugs, burrowing bugs
Cydninae is the largest and most diverse subfamily of burrower bugs (family Cydnidae), comprising approximately 11 genera and at least 40 described species worldwide. Members are characterized by their subterranean lifestyle and burrowing adaptations. The subfamily includes two recognized tribes, Cydnini and Geotomini. Several species are considered agricultural pests due to their feeding habits on crop plants and seeds.
Cydnini
Cydnini is a tribe of burrowing bugs within the subfamily Cydninae (family Cydnidae). Members are small to medium-sized true bugs adapted for fossorial life, with fossorial legs modified for digging. The tribe contains multiple genera and is distinguished from related tribes by genitalic and leg structure. These insects are primarily soil-dwelling and often associated with plant roots.
Cyrtomenus
burrowing bugs, burrower bugs
Cyrtomenus is a genus of burrower bugs in the family Cydnidae, subfamily Cydninae, comprising approximately nine described species distributed in the Neotropics. Species in this genus are characterized by morphological adaptations for digging and exhibit polyphagous feeding habits. At least two species, C. bergi and C. mirabilis (now synonymized), are recognized as significant agricultural pests, particularly of cassava roots. The genus is distinguished among Neotropical Cydninae by the strongly flattened posterior tibia, a feature shared with the related genus Prolobodes.
Dallasiellus
burrowing bugs
Dallasiellus is a genus of burrowing bugs (family Cydnidae) containing approximately 18 described species. These insects are characterized by their fossorial (burrowing) habits and are classified within the true bugs (Hemiptera). The genus was established by Berg in 1901. Members of this genus are part of the diverse Cydnidae family, which is known for species that live in soil and often feed on plant roots.
Delia platura
seedcorn maggot, bean seed fly
Delia platura is a cosmopolitan polyphagous pest in the family Anthomyiidae, commonly known as the seedcorn maggot or bean seed fly. It attacks germinating seeds and seedlings of over 40 host plants including corn, soybeans, beans, peas, and cruciferous vegetables. Larvae typically feed on decaying organic matter but will invade healthy plant tissue when cool, wet spring conditions delay crop germination, causing significant agricultural losses. The species is also a documented vector of bacterial pathogens, including Erwinia amylovora which causes fire blight in apple and pear trees. Two cryptic genetic lines (H-line and N-line) with distinct distributions and mating behaviors have been identified, with H-line females showing strong mate selectivity.
Desoria hiemalis
Desoria hiemalis is a springtail species in the family Isotomidae, first described by Schött in 1893. It is a winter-active species, as indicated by its specific epithet "hiemalis" (Latin for "of winter"). The species has been recorded from both European and North American localities, including the Pacific Northwest region. It belongs to a diverse genus of soil-dwelling springtails commonly found in cold environments.
Diapriini
Diapriini is a tribe of parasitoid wasps within the family Diapriidae. Members are small, slender wasps with reduced wing venation characteristic of the family. They are primarily known as parasitoids of Diptera larvae, particularly in soil and decaying organic matter habitats. The tribe is cosmopolitan in distribution with substantial representation in temperate regions.
Dicellophilus
Dicellophilus is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Mecistocephalidae, established by O.F. Cook in 1896 with D. limatus as the type species. The genus comprises five species distributed across three highly disjunct regions: central Europe, Japan (Honshu), and the western United States. No other group of centipedes or Northern Hemisphere terrestrial animals exhibits such a peculiar geographic pattern. Species range from 5–7 cm in length with 41–45 pairs of legs, the number being invariant within each species.
Dicellophilus anomalus
Dicellophilus anomalus is a soil centipede in the family Mecistocephalidae, one of only four species in this family known from North America. First described by Ralph V. Chamberlin in 1904 from a single male specimen collected in Pacific Grove, California, this species was later transferred to the genus Dicellophilus by Filippo Silvestri in 1919. It is characterized by having exactly 41 pairs of legs in both sexes without variation, reaching up to 60 mm in body length. The species exhibits a restricted distribution along the west coast of the United States from Oregon to central California.
Dicellophilus limatus
Dicellophilus limatus is a soil centipede and the type species of the genus Dicellophilus. It is distinguished by possessing 45 pairs of legs, the highest number in its genus, and can exceed 60 mm in length. The species is endemic to coastal California and is one of only four Mecistocephalidae species known from North America. Originally described as Mecistocephalus limatus in 1862, it was later transferred to the new genus Dicellophilus in 1896.
Dilophus serotinus
March fly
Dilophus serotinus is a species of march fly in the family Bibionidae, first described by Loew in 1861. Like other members of the genus Dilophus, adults are typically smaller and less robust than related Bibio species, often with reddish coloration. The genus is characterized by a ring of shorter teeth on the front legs rather than the long spurs found in Bibio. As with other bibionids, larvae develop in soil and feed on decaying organic matter.
Drassyllus prosaphes
Drassyllus prosaphes is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae, first described by Chamberlin in 1936. It belongs to a genus of small to medium-sized nocturnal hunting spiders commonly found in leaf litter and soil habitats. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other members of Gnaphosidae, it lacks a permanent web and actively pursues prey.
Dyschirius exochus
Dyschirius exochus is a ground beetle species described by Whitehead in 1970. It belongs to the subfamily Scaritinae within the family Carabidae. The species is known from the United States and is part of the diverse genus Dyschirius, which comprises small, often soil-dwelling carabid beetles. Available information about this species is limited due to its rarity in collections and observations.
Entomobrya assuta
Entomobrya assuta is a species of slender springtail described by J.W. Folsom in 1924. It belongs to the family Entomobryidae, one of the most diverse families within the order Entomobryomorpha. The species has been documented across multiple continents, with distribution records from North America and Australia. Springtails in this genus are generally small, soft-bodied hexapods that inhabit soil and leaf litter environments.
Ereynetes
Ereynetes is a genus of mites in the family Ereynetidae, order Trombidiformes. These prostigmatic mites are part of the diverse soil-dwelling microarthropod fauna. The genus was established by Berlese in 1883. Records indicate presence in Norway and Sweden, though detailed ecological studies remain limited.
Eucanthus greeni
Green's Earth-boring Scarab Beetle
Eucanthus greeni is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It is found in North America, with recorded occurrences in the western United States, central Canada, and northern Mexico. The species belongs to a genus of beetles known for burrowing behavior in soil. As with other members of Geotrupidae, it likely participates in soil ecosystem processes, though specific ecological details remain limited in available literature.
Euetheola rugiceps
Sugarcane Beetle
Euetheola rugiceps, commonly known as the sugarcane beetle, is a scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is a sporadic but serious pest of corn in parts of Texas, where damage to young plants by overwintered adults can result in plant death, stunting, or lodging. The species has one generation per year, with adults emerging from soil in spring and late summer to early fall. It is also known to damage sugarcane and other grass crops. The beetle is distributed across the eastern and central United States.
Geolycosa fatifera
Geolycosa fatifera is a burrowing wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, found in the United States. As a member of the genus Geolycosa, it spends the majority of its life in a deep burrow. The species was first described by Nicholas Marcellus Hentz in 1842. Like other Geolycosa species, it exhibits traits associated with fossorial (burrowing) existence, including stout front legs adapted for digging.
Geolycosa hubbelli
Geolycosa hubbelli is a species of burrowing wolf spider in the family Lycosidae. It is found in the United States and belongs to a genus characterized by deep, silk-lined burrows. Members of this genus are typically associated with sandy or loose soil habitats where they construct vertical burrows with debris-reinforced turrets.
Geolycosa rafaelana
Rafaela Burrowing Wolf Spider
Geolycosa rafaelana is a burrowing wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, found in western desert and scrubland habitats of the United States. As a member of the genus Geolycosa, it constructs deep, silk-lined burrows in sandy soils and is primarily nocturnal. The species was described by Chamberlin in 1928 and appears to be associated with arid environments in the southwestern U.S.
Geolycosa wrighti
Black-bellied Burrowing Wolf Spider
Geolycosa wrighti is a burrowing wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, found in the United States and Canada. As a member of the genus Geolycosa, it constructs and occupies vertical burrows in soil, spending most of its life underground. The species is known for distinctive defensive behavior where individuals block their burrow entrance using their cephalothorax and legs when disturbed.
Geophilus mordax
pitted soil centipede
Geophilus mordax, commonly called the pitted soil centipede, is a soil-dwelling geophilid centipede native to North America. It is a moderately sized species averaging 25–40 mm in length, with a bright red coloration and 49–57 leg pairs depending on sex. The species is distinguished by the presence of a sacculus or pit on each sternite, a key diagnostic feature that separates it from similar congeners.
Geophilus oweni
Geophilus oweni is a soil centipede in the family Geophilidae, known from the central United States. It is a moderately sized geophilid, reaching up to 40 mm in length, with high numbers of leg pairs showing sexual dimorphism. The species exhibits variable yellow coloration and possesses distinctive morphological features useful for identification.
Geophilus varians
Geophilus varians is a small soil centipede native to eastern North America. It is characterized by its variable coloration, ranging from light faded orange to yellow or whitish yellow, with a distinctly brighter head. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in leg pair counts, with males possessing 53–59 pairs and females 55–61 pairs. It reaches maximum lengths of 40 mm, though typically averages 30–35 mm.
Georissidae
minute mud-loving beetles
Georissidae is a small family of beetles commonly known as minute mud-loving beetles, containing the single genus Georissus. Members are tiny insects typically found in wet soil and riparian environments near water. Some species have been documented in atypical habitats such as cloud forest leaf litter. The family exhibits notable morphological and behavioral diversity, including psammophory (sand adherence for camouflage) in some subgenera and aptery (winglessness) in certain species.
Geotrupes hornii
Horn's earth-boring beetle
Geotrupes hornii is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It is found in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Adults are most commonly observed between June and September, with peak activity in August. The species belongs to a group of beetles known for burrowing behavior and association with soil and organic matter.
Glaresis california
Glaresis california is a species of scarab beetle in the family Glaresidae, described in 2014 from California. Members of this family are small, soil-dwelling beetles often called 'enigmatic scarab beetles' due to their cryptic habits and uncertain phylogenetic placement. The species is known only from its type locality in California and is among the more recently described species in this poorly studied family.
Glaresis inducta
Glaresis inducta is a small scarab beetle in the family Glaresidae, a group sometimes called "enigmatic scarab beetles" due to their uncertain phylogenetic placement. The species was described by Horn in 1885 and is known from western and central North America, with records spanning from the southwestern United States through the Great Plains and into the upper Midwest. Glaresidae are among the smallest scarab beetles and are rarely encountered due to their cryptic habits and small size.
Glyptocombus
jumping soil bugs
Glyptocombus is a genus of minute jumping soil bugs in the family Schizopteridae, first described by Heidemann in 1906. The genus was long considered monotypic, containing only G. saltator, until 2018 when three additional species were described from the United States and Mexico. These insects belong to the infraorder Dipsocoromorpha, a group of small predatory true bugs adapted to life in soil and leaf litter. The genus is among the more poorly known groups of Heteroptera due to their cryptic habits and small size.
Gryllotalpa
mole crickets
Gryllotalpa is a genus of mole crickets in the family Gryllotalpidae, characterized by highly modified fossorial front legs adapted for digging. The genus contains numerous species distributed across Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas, with several cryptic species complexes distinguished primarily by song patterns. Species within this genus are found in diverse habitats ranging from steppe zones and wet grasslands to gardens and agricultural fields. Some species, particularly Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa, are of conservation concern in parts of Europe while also being agricultural pests in other regions.
Gryllus
field cricket
Gryllus is a widespread genus of field crickets in the family Gryllidae, with members found across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Adults typically measure 15–31 mm and are darkly colored. Species in this genus are often difficult to distinguish from related genera based on external morphology alone; male genitalia, particularly the structure of the epithallus, provide more reliable identification characters. The genus has been extensively studied for its acoustic communication, with male calling songs used for mate attraction and territorial defense.
Harpalus
Harpalus is a large and diverse genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, containing over 420 described species and subspecies. It is the largest genus of the tribe Harpalini and one of the most diverse genera in the entire ground beetle family. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species found across multiple continents. A recent worldwide classification based on adult morphology divides Harpalus into seventy subgenera grouped into nineteen subgroups and ten groups, including thirty-six newly described subgenera. Members of this genus are primarily ground-dwelling predators and granivores found in agricultural fields, grasslands, and open habitats.
Harpalus texanus
Harpalus texanus is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Harpalinae, described by Casey in 1914. As a member of the large genus Harpalus, it belongs to the family Carabidae, one of the most diverse beetle families. The species is known from the United States, with records indicating presence in North America. Like other Harpalus species, it is likely a nocturnal ground-dwelling beetle, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Henia
Henia is a genus of soil-dwelling centipedes in the family Dignathodontidae, order Geophilomorpha. Members of this genus are small, pallid-colored geophilomorphs with relatively high leg pair counts. The genus includes species found in European terrestrial habitats, with some taxa occurring in urban and suburban environments. At least one species, Henia vesuviana, is considered nationally scarce in the UK.
Heteraphorura
Heteraphorura is a genus of springtails in the family Onychiuridae, first described by Bagnall in 1948. As a member of the tribe Hymenaphorurini, it belongs to a group of euedaphic (deep soil-dwelling) Collembola characterized by reduced or absent eyes and elongated body forms. The genus has been recorded across multiple continents including Europe, Mediterranean regions, northern Eurasia, and parts of North America.
Hister coenosus
clown beetle
Hister coenosus is a predatory clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It has been documented across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Laboratory studies indicate it develops in soil and preys on dipteran larvae.
Horistonotus uhlerii
Sand Wireworm
Horistonotus uhlerii is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the Sand Wireworm. The species is native to North America and is associated with sandy habitats. Adult beetles are typical of the genus in general form, while larvae are wireworms—elongated, hard-bodied larvae that develop in soil. The species has been documented in limited observations, with available records indicating a preference for sandy substrates.
Hypnoidus
wireworms
Hypnoidus is a genus of click beetles (family Elateridae) whose soil-dwelling larval stages are known as wireworms. Species in this genus are found across Eurasia and North America, with several species recognized as agricultural pests. The genus includes economically significant species such as Hypnoidus bicolor and Hypnoidus abbreviatus, which damage crop roots in the Canadian Prairies.
Hypothyce mixta
East Texas Hypothyce
Hypothyce mixta is a species of scarab beetle described by Howden in 1968. It belongs to the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae. The species has been recorded from sandy soils in eastern Texas, representing a restricted distribution within the Nearctic region. Like other members of the genus Hypothyce, it is likely associated with soil habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Ithonidae
moth lacewings, giant lacewings
Ithonidae is a small family of neuropteran insects comprising ten living genera and over a dozen extinct genera known from fossils. The family represents one of the most primitive lineages within Neuroptera. Adults are medium to large-sized with distinctive wing venation. Larvae exhibit a highly unusual grub-like (scarabaeiform) body form with stout mandibles, unique among lacewings, and lead a subterranean lifestyle. The modern distribution is notably disjunct, with genera occurring in Australia, the Americas, and Asia, while fossil evidence indicates a formerly broader global range from the Early Jurassic to Late Eocene.
Japygidae
forcepstails, japygids
Japygidae is a family of hexapods in the order Diplura, commonly known as forcepstails or japygids. The family is distinguished by unsegmented, hardened, pincer-like cerci at the abdomen tip, which function in prey capture. It comprises approximately 70 genera arranged in seven subfamilies. Japygidae belongs to the superfamily Japygoidea and is sister to Evalljapygidae based on mitochondrial phylogenomic analysis.
Lanelater
Lanelater is a genus of click beetles (family Elateridae, subfamily Agrypninae) established by Arnett in 1952. The genus includes at least 10 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions. Species have been documented in India, Pakistan, and other regions, with some species such as Lanelater fuscipes recognized as significant agricultural pests whose larvae (wireworms) damage field crops by feeding on below-ground plant structures. A new species, Lanelater majeednsis, was recently described from Khairpur district, Sindh, Pakistan.
Ligyrus gibbosus
Carrot beetle
Ligyrus gibbosus, commonly known as the carrot beetle, is a rhinoceros beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. Adults measure 13–17 mm and are dark reddish-brown to black. The species feeds on roots, grasses, and decaying vegetation in soil, and is recognized as a pest of sunflowers and other crops. Formerly classified under the genus Tomarus, it was reclassified to Ligyrus in a 2022 taxonomic revision.
Limonius agonus
Eastern Field Wireworm
Limonius agonus, commonly known as the eastern field wireworm, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The species is native to North America and has been documented in Canadian provinces including Ontario and Québec. Larvae of this species are soil-dwelling wireworms that can cause damage to agricultural crops.
Limonius canus
Pacific Coast Wireworm
Limonius canus, commonly known as the Pacific Coast wireworm, is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae. The larval stage is a significant agricultural pest, particularly damaging to potatoes, wheat, and other crops in the Pacific Coast region of North America. Research has documented its behavioral responses to insecticides, including repellence and contact-induced morbidity from certain compounds. The species harbors diverse gut bacteria that have been investigated for potential biocontrol applications.
Linotaeniidae
Linotaeniidae is a family of soil centipedes in the order Geophilomorpha. Species in this family are characterized by a body that tapers toward the anterior tip, mandibles with a single pectinate lamella, and a short forcipular segment with a remarkably wide tergite. The number of leg pairs varies widely within and among species, ranging from 31 to 83 pairs. The family includes the genera Agathothus, Chileana, Diplochora, and Strigamia.
Mastinocerini
Mastinocerini is a tribe of glow-worm beetles within the family Phengodidae, comprising at least 190 described species across 24 genera. Members of this tribe are distributed primarily in the New World, with significant diversity in Central and South America. The tribe was established by LeConte in 1881 and includes the type genus Mastinocerus. These beetles are notable for their bioluminescent larvae, which use light production to lure prey.
Megaspilidae
Megaspilidae is a small family of parasitoid wasps in the superfamily Ceraphronoidea, comprising approximately 450 described species across 13 genera in two subfamilies. The family remains poorly known biologically, though most species are believed to be parasitoids of sternorrhynchan Hemiptera (particularly aphids), with some functioning as hyperparasitoids attacking other parasitoids. Many species inhabit soil, and several are wingless. The largest genus is Dendrocerus, followed by Conostigmus.
Megophthalminae
Megophthalminae is a subfamily of leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) established by Kirkaldy in 1906. It was historically treated as a separate family or as the subfamily Agalliinae, but phylogenetic analyses have confirmed its placement within Cicadellidae. The subfamily includes four tribes: Adelungiini, Agalliini, Megophthalmini, and Evansiolini. Members are characterized by morphological convergence with treehoppers (Membracoidea), particularly in ocelli and wing modifications. The group originated in the early Cretaceous (~140 million years ago) and shows strong continental-scale biogeographic structure.
Melanaethus robustus
Melanaethus robustus is a species of burrowing bug in the family Cydnidae, first described by Uhler in 1877. As a member of the burrowing bug family, it possesses adaptations for subterranean life, including fossorial legs. The species is known from North America, though specific details of its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the available literature.