# False Click Beetles (*eucnemidae*)

False Click Beetles are fascinating insects that can often be found in forests and gardens. They have a unique ability to play dead when threatened, making them quite the little tricksters!

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests, gardens, and under decaying wood or leaf litter.
- **Also known as:** Eucnemidae Beetle, False Clicker, Wood Beetle

![False Click Beetles](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eucnemidae_-_Euryostus_reichei.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eucnemidae_-_Euryostus_reichei.JPG)

## Appearance

The False Click Beetles has an elongated, somewhat flattened body typically dark brown to black. It differs from true click beetles by lacking a prominent prosternal spine and the ability to click itself into the air.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Coleoptera
- **Family:** Eucnemidae

## Interesting facts

- Adult False Click Beetles often visit fungi, which might be a snack for them!
- Some species have amazingly fancy antennae, shaped like saws or combs!
- Their larvae can live for several years inside decaying wood before becoming adult beetles!
- Unlike their "click beetle" relatives, these beetles cannot actually snap themselves into the air!

## Special abilities

- **Wood Recycler:** False Click Beetles can break down dead wood because their larvae bore into it, which helps enrich forest soil.
- **Forest Camouflage:** False Click Beetles has dull colors and flattened bodies that help them blend perfectly with bark and leaf litter.
- **Feigning Death:** False Click Beetles can quickly drop to the ground and play dead to avoid predators, keeping them safe.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 6-30 mm
- **Size:** 3-15 mm
- **Lifespan:** 30-90 days
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

Larvae munch on decaying wood, while adults may enjoy fungi and tree sap.

- **Age differences:** Larvae feed exclusively on decaying wood; adults consume fungi and tree sap.
- **Primary Foods:** Decaying Wood, Fungi, Tree Sap
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Downy Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/downy-woodpecker) (*Picoides pubescens*) — Woodpeckers extract larvae from wood.
- **Eats:** Turkey Tail Fungus (*Trametes versicolor*) — Adult beetles consume fungal fruiting bodies.
- **Depends on:** Red Oak (*Quercus rubra*) — Larvae develop within decaying Red Oak wood.

## Traits

- [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.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [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.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify False Click Beetles?

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 False Click Beetles's wingspan?

6-30 mm

### How big is False Click Beetles?

3-15 mm

### How long does False Click Beetles live?

30-90 days

### What does False Click Beetles eat?

Larvae munch on decaying wood, while adults may enjoy fungi and tree sap.

### Where is False Click Beetles usually found?

Forests, gardens, and under decaying wood or leaf litter.

### How does False Click Beetles hunt?

Foraging

### How many legs does False Click Beetles have?

6

## 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*)

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Source: [False Click Beetles: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/false-click-beetles)