Insect · GBIF taxon 6985083
Prosternine Click Beetle
Hemicrepidius memnoniusAlso known as Memnon Click Beetle
Prosternine click beetles inhabit Eastern North American forests and grassy meadows where adults emerge during warm summer evenings. When overturned on their backs, these dark glossy beetles snap a thoracic peg into a matching socket to spring into the air with a loud clicking sound. Their elongate larvae, known as wireworms, spend several years underground feeding on plant roots and rotting organic material.
NocturnalForest DwellerJumping
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Plant roots
- Decaying wood
- Nectar
Predators
- Birds
- Toads
- Spiders
ThreatsPesticide use, soil cultivation, and artificial light disruption.
HabitatsDeciduous forests, woodland margins, and agricultural fields.
Life span1–3 years
Classification
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyElateridae
- GenusHemicrepidius
- SpeciesHemicrepidius memnonius
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Light Trapping: Look for adults near outdoor lights on warm midsummer nights.
- Gentle Observation: Place an overturned beetle in your open palm to watch its jumping mechanism.
Competitor Judy Gallagher / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Family Relative (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Family Relative (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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