''Alaus oculatus'', commonly called the eastern eyed click beetle or eyed elater, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

click beetle Elateridae or click beetles (or "typical click beetles" to distinguish them from the related families Cerophytidae and Eucnemidae, which are also capable of clicking) are a family of beetles. Other names include elaters, snapping beetles, s ...

Description

''Alaus oculatus'' can reach a length of about . They have an elongated body, black in color throughout. The pronotum exhibits a large oval patch of darker scales, framed in white, on each side - the common name of the beetle derives from this feature. The

elytra An elytron (; ; , ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alterna ...

are striated and mottled with silvery whitish scales. The "false eyes" depicted on the

pronotum The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. Its principal sclerites (exoskeletal plates) are the pronotum ( dorsal), the prosternum (ventral), and the propleuron (lateral) on e ...

are a defensive adaption that has evolved because of its advantage confusing or frightening potential predators. The eyespots are a form of self-mimicry, in which one part of the body has adapted to mimic another body part. Like all click beetles, ''A. oculatus'' is also capable of suddenly catapulting itself out of danger by releasing the energy stored by a click mechanism, which consists of a stout spine on the prosternum and a matching groove in the mesosternum.

Life cycle

Eggs are laid in soil or on standing deadwood. Many larvae from the click beetle family

Elateridae Elateridae or click beetles (or "typical click beetles" to distinguish them from the related families Cerophytidae and Eucnemidae, which are also capable of clicking) are a family of beetles. Other names include elaters, snapping beetles, sp ...

are commonly referred to as wireworms and are prominent agricultural pests that feast on plant matter. However, the larvae of ''Alaus oculatus'' are unique among wireworms because they are predatory to other beetle larvae feeding in decaying wood, especially

Cerambycidae The longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), also known as long-horned or longicorns, are a large family of beetles, with over 35,000 species described. Most species are characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than ...

. The larva pupate in rotting logs or below the ground and the adults emerge in the spring and are commonly found until September.

Diet

The adults do not eat much but their diet consists of nectar and plant juice. The larvae diet consists of grubs of wood-boring beetles. The larvae are voracious on wood borers, and that during their development caged specimens were observed to devour more than 200

cerambycid The longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), also known as long-horned or longicorns, are a large family of beetles, with over 35,000 species described. Most species are characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than ...

larvae each.Craighead FC. 1950. Insect Enemies of Eastern Forests. U.S. Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication 657: 1- 679.

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in Central and North America. It can be found in deciduous/mixed forests and woodlands.

References

External links

* Elateridae Beetles of North America Beetles described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Elateridae-stub