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Beetles

Order Coleoptera

1299 species

The largest order of insects, comprising about 25% of all known animal species. Beetles are found in nearly every habitat and are distinguished by their hardened forewings called elytra.

Species in this Order

Scarabaeidae

Proagoderus Dung Beetle

Proagoderus tersidorsis

A medium-sized, dark metallic tunneling dung beetle with elaborate pronotal horns in major males. Fo...

10-18 mm
Cicindelidae

Punctured Tiger Beetle

Cicindela punctulata

A small dark bronze to greenish tiger beetle with fine punctures on its elytra. It is one of the mos...

10-13 mm
Cicindelidae Endangered

Puritan Tiger Beetle

Cicindela puritana

A bronze-green tiger beetle with white markings found only on sandy riverbanks and beaches. It is on...

11-14mm
Chrysomelidae

Purple Loosestrife Beetle

Galerucella calmariensis

A small, yellowish-brown beetle deliberately introduced as a biocontrol agent against invasive purpl...

4-5 mm
Carabidae Near Threatened

Pyrenean Ground Beetle

Nebria lafresnayei

An endemic ground beetle restricted to high elevations in the Pyrenees. It inhabits cold, damp scree...

10-14 mm
Chrysomelidae

Ragweed Leaf Beetle

Zygogramma suturalis

A brown beetle with dark longitudinal stripes on the elytra, introduced to several countries as a bi...

6-8 mm
Chrysomelidae

Ragwort Flea Beetle

Longitarsus jacobaeae

A small black flea beetle that feeds on ragwort plants. Successfully used as a biological control ag...

2-3 mm
Phengodidae

Railroad Worm

Phrixothrix hirtus

A beetle larva with 11 pairs of green-glowing lateral organs and a red-glowing headlamp — the only l...

30-65 mm (larvae)
Carabidae

Rain Beetle Hunter

Calosoma cancellatum

A medium to large caterpillar hunter with dark elytra marked by rows of rectangular pits giving a gr...

18-25 mm
Carabidae Near Threatened

Rainbow Ground Beetle

Carabus nitens

A spectacularly colored ground beetle with elytra showing bands of metallic green, copper, and red, ...

14-18 mm
Chrysomelidae

Rainbow Leaf Beetle

Chrysolina fastuosa

A metallic multicolored beetle with iridescent green, blue, and purple stripes....

5-7 mm
Lucanidae

Rainbow Stag Beetle

Phalacrognathus muelleri

Australias most spectacularly colored beetle, with iridescent green, red, gold, and purple metallic ...

25-70 mm
Lucanidae

Rajah Naga Stag Beetle

Prosopocoilus astacoides

A medium-sized stag beetle with reddish-brown elytra and a black head bearing distinctly toothed man...

30-70 mm including mandibles
Byturidae

Raspberry Beetle

Byturus tomentosus

A small brownish-gold beetle whose larvae are the small white grubs found inside raspberries and bla...

3-4mm
Cerambycidae

Raspberry Cane Borer

Oberea bimaculata

A slender black longhorn with two prominent yellow spots on the pronotum, found across North America...

9-14 mm
Staphylinidae

Red and Black Rove Beetle

Paederus riparius

A small but notorious rove beetle with a red thorax and abdomen and blue-black elytra. Its hemolymph...

7-10 mm
Tenebrionidae Not Evaluated

Red Flour Beetle

Tribolium castaneum

A small, reddish-brown beetle that is one of the most important stored-grain pests worldwide. It is ...

3-4 mm
Cerambycidae

Red Milkweed Beetle

Tetraopes tetrophthalmus

A bright red beetle with black spots, exclusively associated with common milkweed. Its antennae bise...

9-14 mm
Staphylinidae

Red Mushroom Beetle

Oxyporus rufus

A striking red and black rove beetle that lives in and feeds on fresh mushroom caps. Has large, powe...

7-12 mm
Cerambycidae

Red Oak Borer

Enaphalodes rufulus

A large reddish-brown cerambycid that breeds in living red oaks across eastern North America. It has...

18-30 mm
Curculionidae

Red Palm Weevil

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus

A large rusty-red weevil with a long curved rostrum and dark spots on the thorax. Its larvae bore de...

19-42 mm
Chrysomelidae

Red Poplar Leaf Beetle

Chrysomela populi

A shiny red-orange beetle with a black head, commonly found on poplar and willow trees. Larvae relea...

10-12 mm
Chrysomelidae

Red Pumpkin Beetle

Aulacophora foveicollis

A uniformly bright orange-red beetle with fine punctures on the pronotum and smooth elytra. It is a ...

5-8 mm
Staphylinidae

Red Rove Beetle

Platydracus maculosus

A large, brightly marked rove beetle with reddish elytra spotted with dark markings and a densely pu...

15-22 mm
Cantharidae

Red Soldier Beetle

Rhagonycha fulva

A very common soldier beetle in Europe with orange-red elytra tipped in black. It is one of the most...

8-10 mm
Cicindelidae

Red Tiger Beetle

Pogonostoma chalybaeum

A medium-sized tiger beetle with a deep steely blue body and reddish reflections. It has large promi...

12-18 mm
Curculionidae Not Evaluated

Red Turpentine Beetle

Dendroctonus valens

The largest North American Dendroctonus species, it attacks the base of pine trees. It became highly...

6-9 mm
Staphylinidae

Red-bellied Rove Beetle

Tasgius melanarius

A large, shiny black rove beetle with a reddish-brown abdominal tip, found in synanthropic habitats ...

15-20 mm
Silphidae

Red-Breasted Carrion Beetle

Oiceoptoma thoracicum

A flattened black beetle with a broad, reddish-orange thorax found on carrion. Unlike burying beetle...

12-16 mm
Elateridae

Red-Brown Click Beetle

Ampedus sanguineus

A handsome click beetle with vivid red elytra and a black head and thorax. Larvae develop in rotting...

11-16 mm
Pyrochroidae

Red-Headed Cardinal Beetle

Pyrochroa serraticornis

A vivid red beetle with serrated antennae found on flowers and under bark. Larvae are predatory and ...

14-20 mm
Buprestidae Near Threatened

Red-legged Buprestis

Buprestis rufipes

A large metallic green European jewel beetle with distinctive red legs. Adults bask on sun-warmed ti...

18-28 mm
Buprestidae

Red-legged Jewel Beetle

Castiarina rufipennis

A medium-sized jewel beetle with reddish-brown elytra and metallic green thorax. It visits flowers i...

10-15 mm
Cerambycidae

Red-legged Purpuricenus

Purpuricenus kaehleri

A striking cerambycid with a bright red pronotum and black elytra, found in oak woodlands across sou...

12-20 mm
Staphylinidae

Red-legged Rove Beetle

Lathrobium brunnipes

A slender, elongate paederine rove beetle with brown legs and a parallel-sided body. It is a soil-dw...

5-8 mm
Carabidae

Red-legged Shieldback Ground Beetle

Badister bullatus

A small, attractively colored ground beetle with a reddish-orange head and legs contrasting with dar...

5-7 mm
Silphidae

Red-Lined Carrion Beetle

Necrodes surinamensis

A dark, flattened carrion beetle with reddish markings on the tips of its elytra. It is one of the f...

15-25 mm
Scarabaeidae

Red-Shouldered Aphodius

Aphodius rufipes

A medium-sized dweller dung beetle that is entirely black except for reddish-brown leg joints. It is...

10-13 mm
Histeridae

Red-Shouldered Ham Beetle

Carcinops pumilio

A tiny, shiny black hister beetle commonly found in poultry houses where it preys on house fly larva...

2-3 mm
Staphylinidae

Red-shouldered Rove Beetle

Tachinus rufipes

A robust, medium-sized rove beetle with reddish-brown legs and a shiny dark body. It is one of the m...

5-8 mm
Buprestidae

Red-spotted Jewel Beetle

Castiarina erythroptera

A strikingly beautiful jewel beetle with bright red elytra spotted with dark markings. It is commonl...

10-16 mm
Staphylinidae

Red-Spotted Rove Beetle

Staphylinus dimidiaticornis

A large, dark rove beetle with bicolored antennae and red-tinged wing cases. It hunts actively in le...

15-22 mm
Melyridae

Red-tipped Flower Beetle

Malachius bipustulatus

A small metallic green beetle with bright red tips on each elytron. Males can evert orange vesicles ...

5-7 mm
Cerambycidae

Red-tipped Flower Longhorn

Stictoleptura rubra

A sexually dimorphic flower longhorn where males have tawny-yellow elytra and females are bright red...

10-19 mm
Mordellidae

Red-Tipped Tumbling Flower Beetle

Mordellina pustulata

A small tumbling flower beetle with dark elytra bearing reddish markings, found across Europe. Larva...

3-5 mm
Curculionidae (Scolytinae) Not Evaluated

Redbay Ambrosia Beetle

Xyleborus glabratus

An invasive beetle from Southeast Asia that vectors laurel wilt disease in the Americas. It bores in...

1.8–2.4 mm
Lucanidae

Reddish-brown Stag Beetle

Lucanus capreolus

A widespread North American stag beetle with a warm reddish-brown color. Commonly attracted to light...

22-35 mm
Staphylinidae

Reddish-Brown Stag Rove Beetle

Platydracus cinnamopterus

A robust rove beetle with cinnamon-brown elytra and a black head. It is commonly found under bark an...

12-18 mm
Chrysomelidae

Reed Beetle

Donacia crassipes

A striking aquatic leaf beetle with metallic golden-green to coppery elytra and elongated hind legs....

9-12 mm
Cupedidae

Reticulated Beetle

Tenomerga cinerea

A living fossil from one of the most ancient beetle families still extant....

10-14 mm
Curculionidae Not Evaluated

Reunion Day Gecko Beetle

Cratopus murinus

A drab brownish weevil endemic to Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. It is a common herbivore found...

8-12 mm
Curculionidae Vulnerable

Reunion Flightless Weevil

Cratopus ovalis

A flightless weevil with fused elytra endemic to the island of Reunion. Its inability to fly has mad...

8-12 mm
Scarabaeidae

Rhinoceros Beetle

Dynastes neptunus

Males have enormous horns used in wrestling matches for territory and mates. Despite their fearsome ...

50-160 mm (including horns)
Scarabaeidae Not Evaluated

Rhinoceros Dung Beetle

Heliocopris dominus

A large nocturnal dung beetle found in the forests of Southeast Asia. It constructs enormous brood b...

35-50 mm
Lucanidae

Rhinoceros Stag Beetle

Odontolabis gazella

A medium to large stag beetle with orange-brown elytra and a black head and thorax. Males exist in t...

35-80 mm
Lycidae

Ribbed Net-winged Beetle

Platycis minutus

A small European net-winged beetle with dark reddish-brown elytra featuring strongly raised longitud...

5-7 mm
Cerambycidae

Ribbed Pine Borer

Rhagium inquisitor

A longhorn beetle found across northern forests that develops under the bark of dead conifers. Adult...

10–21 mm
Curculionidae

Rice Water Weevil

Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus

A small, grey-brown weevil that feeds on rice roots as a larva and on rice leaves as an adult. Adult...

2.5-3.5 mm
Curculionidae Not Evaluated

Rice Weevil

Sitophilus oryzae

A small reddish-brown weevil that is one of the most destructive stored grain pests worldwide. Adult...

2-3.5 mm
Hydrophilidae

Ridged Water Scavenger Beetle

Helochares obscurus

A small brown water beetle found in well-vegetated ponds across Europe. Females carry their egg sacs...

4-6 mm
Elmidae

Riffle Beetle

Elmis aenea

A tiny, dark beetle that spends its entire adult life underwater clinging to rocks in riffles. It br...

1.5-2.5 mm
Staphylinidae

Robust Brown Rove Beetle

Ocypus brunnipes

A large, dark rove beetle with characteristic brown legs, found commonly in grasslands and meadows. ...

14-20 mm
Curculionidae Critically Endangered

Rodrigues Giant Weevil

Cratopus adspersus

A large weevil endemic to Rodrigues Island in the Mascarene archipelago. It is one of the most threa...

12-18 mm
Derodontidae

Rolled-wing Beetle

Derodontus maculatus

A tiny beetle that feeds on slime molds on decaying logs in cool forests....

2-4 mm
Cerambycidae Vulnerable

Rosalia Longhorn

Rosalia alpina funesta

A subspecies of the striking blue-grey alpine longhorn beetle found in southern populations....

15-35mm
Scarabaeidae

Rose Chafer

Cetonia aurata

A shiny, metallic green beetle commonly found on roses and other flowers. Unlike most beetles, it fl...

14-20 mm
Chrysomelidae

Rosemary Beetle

Chrysolina americana

A small oval beetle with metallic green and purple stripes on its elytra. Despite its name, it origi...

5-8mm
Buprestidae Data Deficient

Rothschild's Jewel Beetle

Madecassia rothschildi

A magnificent jewel beetle with metallic green and copper elytra adorned with intricate patterns. It...

30-45 mm
Curculionidae

Rough Alpine Weevil

Otiorhynchus rugosus

A heavily sculptured flightless weevil of mountain habitats. Its rough exoskeleton helps it blend in...

6-9 mm
Scarabaeidae Data Deficient

Rough-collared Dung Beetle

Helictopleurus rudicollis

An exclusively forest-dwelling dung beetle with a rough, heavily punctured pronotum that gives it it...

10-15 mm
Dytiscidae

Rough-Skinned Diving Beetle

Dytiscus lapponicus

A large diving beetle of northern and alpine regions across Europe and Asia. Both sexes have finely ...

24-30 mm
Carabidae

Round Sand Beetle

Omophron limbatum

A highly distinctive, nearly circular ground beetle with a domed shape and striking pattern of pale ...

5-7 mm
Staphylinidae

Round-bodied Scydmaenine

Scydmaenus tarsatus

A minute, convex rove beetle of the subfamily Scydmaeninae with a distinctively constricted waist be...

1-2 mm
Silphidae

Round-Necked Burying Beetle

Nicrophorus orbicollis

A medium-sized burying beetle with orange-red markings and a distinctly rounded thorax. It is one of...

18-22 mm
Cerambycidae

Round-necked Longhorn

Neoclytus acuminatus

A reddish-brown cerambycid with narrow yellowish crossbands on the elytra, native to eastern North A...

8-18 mm
Scarabaeidae

Royal Goliath Beetle

Goliathus regius

A massive scarab beetle with bold white and brown markings on its elytra. Males have a forked horn u...

50-100 mm
Scarabaeidae

Ruby-Legged Dung Beetle

Onthophagus medius

A small, dark bronze tunneling dung beetle with reddish-brown legs found in parts of Africa and Asia...

6-10 mm
Meloidae Endangered

Rugged Oil Beetle

Meloe rugosus

A rare, dark and heavily wrinkled oil beetle that appears in autumn unlike its spring-emerging relat...

8-25 mm
Silphidae

Rugose Carrion Beetle

Thanatophilus rugosus

A small, dark silphid with heavily textured, rugose wing cases. It frequents sun-exposed carrion in ...

9-12 mm
Scarabaeidae

Rugose Christmas Beetle

Anoplognathus rugosus

A robust dark brown scarab with distinctly wrinkled elytra found in southeastern Australia. Adults a...

18-24 mm
Staphylinidae

Rugose Rove Beetle

Anotylus rugosus

A small, dark oxytelline rove beetle with a heavily rugose (wrinkled) surface texture. It is extreme...

3-5 mm
Cerambycidae

Rustic Longhorn

Xylotrechus rusticus

A grey-brown cerambycid with wavy pale transverse bands on the elytra, found across Eurasia in birch...

10-20 mm
Cantharidae

Rustic Soldier Beetle

Cantharis rustica

A common European soldier beetle with dark elytra and an orange-red pronotum marked with a black spo...

11-15 mm
Cerambycidae Not Evaluated

Saga Longhorn Beetle

Batocera lineolata

A large longhorn beetle with pale greenish-grey elytra marked with dark spots and lines. Its larvae ...

40-55 mm
Scarabaeidae

Sagittarius Dung Beetle

Onthophagus sagittarius

A medium-sized dark brown tunneler with a distinctive arrow-shaped projection on the male head. It w...

8-14 mm
Carabidae

Saharan Silver Ant Beetle

Anthia sexmaculata

A large predatory ground beetle with bold white spots on black elytra. It hunts other insects across...

30-50 mm
Cerambycidae

Sal Borer

Hoplocerambyx spinicornis

A large, dark brown longhorn beetle that is the most destructive pest of sal trees, India's most imp...

35-60 mm
Carabidae Endangered

Salt Creek Tiger Beetle

Cicindela nevadica lincolniana

One of the rarest insects in the world, this small tiger beetle has dark olive-brown elytra with fai...

10-12 mm
Cicindelidae

Salt Flat Tiger Beetle

Eunota togata

A pale whitish tiger beetle adapted to saline environments in western North America. Its light color...

10-13 mm
Scarabaeidae

Samoan Rhinoceros Beetle

Scapanes australis

A large rhinoceros beetle found in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and parts of Samoa. Males ...

40-70 mm
Scarabaeidae

Sand Dune Scarab

Pseudocotalpa andrewsi

A metallic golden-green scarab beetle found only on desert sand dunes. Adults emerge briefly after r...

15-22 mm
Histeridae

Sand-Loving Hister Beetle

Hypocaccus rugifrons

A small, reddish-brown hister beetle found in sandy coastal habitats. It hunts fly larvae in seaweed...

2-4 mm
Scarabaeidae

Saphirinus Dung Beetle

Coprophanaeus saphirinus

A stunning metallic sapphire-blue tunneling dung beetle with brilliant iridescence. Males have a pro...

18-30 mm
Molopidius Vulnerable

Sardinian Cave Beetle

Speomolops sardous

A blind cave beetle endemic to a single cave system in Sardinia. It has no eyes, no pigment, and elo...

8-10 mm
Cerambycidae Vulnerable

Sardinian Rosalia Longhorn

Rosalia alpina ssp.

A stunning blue-gray longhorn beetle with black spots found in old beech forests. Mediterranean isla...

25-40 mm
Cerambycidae

Sart's Ground Longhorn

Dorcadion sartum

A flightless ground-dwelling cerambycid from the steppes of Central Asia. Its elytra are fused and c...

12-18 mm
Scarabaeidae

Satanas Dung Beetle

Dichotomius satanas

A large, pitch-black tunneling dung beetle with a deeply forked cephalic horn in males that gives it...

22-35 mm
Lucanidae

Saw Stag Beetle

Prosopocoilus inclinatus

A common Japanese stag beetle with serrated inner mandible edges. They are frequently encountered at...

25-75 mm
Silvanidae Not Evaluated

Saw-toothed Grain Beetle

Oryzaephilus surinamensis

A slender brown beetle with six tooth-like projections on each side of the thorax. It is a cosmopoli...

2.5-3.5 mm
Cerambycidae

Saw-toothed Prionine

Dorysthenes buquetii

A large prionine beetle with strongly serrated antennae and a dark reddish-brown body, found across ...

35-55 mm