COLEOPTERA > POLYPHAGA > ELATEROIDEA > Elateridae

Elateridae is a moderately large family of 73 species commonly known as click beetles; a name that comes from the audible click-like sound that's generated by the spring defence mechanism that they have on the underside of the thorax, which when released catapults them backwards out of danger.

They vary in size from around 4mm up to 20mm; most with a typically elongate, parallel-sided body that tapers in at the end of the abdomen; a pronotum with rounded front margin and characteristic pointed rear angles; and a head that's usually inserted into the front of the thorax. They are generally black, brown or reddish-brown in colour or, with some of the scarcer species, bright red. The body, particularly the elytra, can be shiny, almost metallic, or dull, sometimes mottled, or with pubescence.

Most modern classification systems separate the numerous genera into seven subfamilies; the two major ones being the Dendrometrinae (sometimes Denticollinae) and Elaterinae with 25 and 31 species respectively. Many species are listed as rare or nationally scarce, only being found in specific areas and, consequently, when you start looking at the distribution data, the different species likely to be seen, certainly locally to me, are far less than the total number would suggest.  

One of the larger, more frequently seen species is Agrypnus murinus, which typically grows to 12-17mm. It is a distinctive click beetle due to the dense scale-like pubescence that almost covers the entire dorsal surface of its body. I've photographed a few of these and have noticed quite a bit of colour variation from mottled grey, through shades of brown to almost black. It has a rather broad body and an orange abdomen as can be seen in one of the photos below. It is commonly known as the Mottled Dingey-brown Click Beetle, and is placed in the Argypinae subfamily with just one other species, the very rare Oak Click Beetle, Lacon querceus.

The remaining species on this page are all within the Dendrometrinae subfamily.

Athous haemorrhoidalis is another widespread and common species that can be found in a variety of habitats. It's a medium-sized beetle, around 10-15mm long, with a black head and pronotum, and contrasting dark brown elytra, all of which are covered with fine pale grey-brown hairs that can produce quite different looking individuals.

The closely related Athous bicolor is smaller, around 8-10mm, females a tad larger. The head, pronotum and scutellum are dark reddish-brown, the elytra pale brown, and densely pubescent. The colour of the elytra though is variable as the suture and lateral margins are often dark. The antennae are noticeably long and slender.  

Denticollis linearis is a medium-sized, 9-13mm species with very prominent eyes and a variable orange/brown heavily pitted pronotum and a yellowish-brown to black punctured elytra with pale margins.

Limonius poneli (formally L.minutus, and sometimes Kibunea minuta) is a small, 6-8mm, metallic black woodland beetle that could be confused with other not dissimilar, although generally far less common, species.

The following page includes species within the Elaterinae subfamily.

Whilst most of the better described species have been given common names, they are not regularly used, so to avoid any confusion I've only references those names on the extended caption, visible when hovering over or clicking to enlarge the photo.

Updated, Dec.23 (v.3)