Click Beetle

Categories: ,

Actual Size: 1-2.5 inches

Characteristics: Elongated shape with a flattened body. Colored dark brown to black with clicking mechanisms on their thorax

Legs: Wireworms and adults have six small legs.

Antennae: Feathered antennae

Wings: Yes

Habitat: On the ground, on plants, and in or under decaying wood.

Habits:

  • Named for the loud noise they make to deter predators 
  • Larvae feed on the seeds, roots, and underground stems of plants
  • Typically nocturnal


Click Beetles in Suffolk County & Nassau County

Click beetles are found mainly in North America and Australia. They have rough, flat, oblong bodies with a spine-like structure that they can snap into a groove on their thorax. The sudden clicking noise is used in times of conflict to avoid being eaten. They also have an additional defense mechanism that works by falling on their backs and playing dead whenever touched. 

Click Beetle Habitat

Generally click beetles tend to lay their larvae on plants and in decaying wood, where they can stay and feed for a long period of time. In residential areas they’re drawn to soil near abundant vegetation, like farmlands and gardens. It’s very rare to find them in deserts or flooded areas, and they’re less likely to enter yards with reduced outdoor lighting.

Click Beetle Behaviors, Threats or Dangers

Since they’re attracted to lights, it’s not uncommon to see click beetles gathered around doorways and windows at night. You may be able to hear their snapping or see them jump and flip. While the adults may not be anything other than a large nuisance, the larval wireworms have an aggressive appetite and can severely damage plant life. You can keep them from getting inside by making sure your doors, windows, eaves and chimneys seal tightly. To remove them from your property, you’ll need the help of the expert beetle exterminators at Suburban Exterminating.