# Eastern Eyed Click Beetle (*Alaus oculatus*) The Eastern Eyed Click Beetle is a fun little bug that can jump high when it feels scared! It has big, beautiful eyes on its back that look like they are watching you. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 118 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Eastern Eyed Click Beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eyed_Click_Beetle_Alaus_oculatus_056428.jpg&width=800) Photo: Henryhartley, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eyed_Click_Beetle_Alaus_oculatus_056428.jpg) ## Appearance The Eastern Eyed Click Beetle is a large, sturdy beetle, typically black with distinct, prominent white-ringed black eyespots on its thorax, which are not real eyes. Its hard shell often has a slightly fuzzy texture, making it visually unique among common beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Elateridae - **Genus:** Alaus ## Interesting facts - Despite their fierce appearance, adult Eastern Eyed Click Beetles are completely harmless to humans! - Its larval stage, called a wireworm, lives underground for several years before transforming! - The 'click' sound can be loud enough for humans to hear from a few feet away. - They use their fake eyespots to trick birds and other predators into thinking they are a bigger creature. ## Special abilities - **Click & Flip!:** Eastern Eyed Click Beetles can flip themselves upright by arching their back and 'clicking' a spine into a groove, which helps them escape predators. - **False Eye Defense:** Eastern Eyed Click Beetles have large, dark eyespots on their back that mimic bigger eyes, making them look more intimidating to frighten away enemies. - **Armored Body:** Eastern Eyed Click Beetles have a very tough exoskeleton that helps protect them from physical damage and many predator attacks. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 40-70 mm - **Size:** 25-45 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults eat sap, but the hungry larvae are underground hunters of other insect grubs! - **Age differences:** Adults feed on plant sap and nectar, while the larvae (wireworms) are predatory, hunting other insect larvae underground. - **Primary Foods:** tree sap, nectar, Japanese beetle larvae, June beetle larvae, wood-boring beetle larvae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Hairy Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hairy-woodpecker) (*Picoides villosus*) — Adult beetles can be caught and eaten by woodpeckers. - **Eats:** [Japanese Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/japanese-beetle) (*Popillia japonica*) — Larvae of the click beetle prey on the grubs of this invasive pest. - **Eaten by:** Masked Shrew (*Sorex cinereus*) — Shrews may unearth and consume click beetle larvae in the soil. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's best to watch beetles from a distance and not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eastern Eyed Click Beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Eastern Eyed Click Beetle's wingspan? 40-70 mm ### How big is Eastern Eyed Click Beetle? 25-45 mm ### How long does Eastern Eyed Click Beetle live? 30-60 days ### What does Eastern Eyed Click Beetle eat? Adults eat sap, but the hungry larvae are underground hunters of other insect grubs! ### Where is Eastern Eyed Click Beetle usually found? Forests ### How does Eastern Eyed Click Beetle hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Eastern Eyed Click Beetle have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Alabama City Wall Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alabama-city-wall-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albemarle-and-chesapeake-canal) — Virginia, US · Historic Site - [Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alfred-b-maclay-gardens-state-park) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arrowmont-school-of-arts-and-crafts) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Bainbridge Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bainbridge-commercial-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Black Hawk State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-hawk-state-historic-site) — Illinois, US · Park [View all places to see Eastern Eyed Click Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-eyed-click-beetle) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Eastern Eyed Click Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-eyed-click-beetle)