Coleoptera (Beetles)
There are more named species of beetles and beetles make up 25% of all described species. Beetles are fairly easy to recognize and are found in nearly every habitat around the world.
Beetle wings evolved to have the 2 forewings hardened (called the elytra). The elytra provide a protective coating for their soft bodies. Coleoptera is derived from Greek meaning “sheath wings.”
Beetle larvae do not have a single common name like other orders of insects might. Their larvae can be called grubs, rootworms, mealworms, wireworms, or borers. The larvae also have differing feeding strategies, depending on the species. They eat living to dead plant tissue, fungi, carrion, and dung; some may be predaceous and others may be parasitic.
The wood-boring beetles leave their signature with tracks grooved into trees. The shape and size of their burrows are distinctive and indicative of which species has invaded the tree.
Bolbocerosoma bruneri
It may be argued that to know one kind of beetle is to know them all. But a species is not like a molecule in a cloud of molecules-it is a unique population.
List – Updated January 2025
Anthicidae (Antlike Flower beetles)
Malporus formicarius
Notoxus desertus
Sapintus
Anthribidae (Fungus weevils)
Euparius marmoreus
Attelabidae (Leaf-rolling weevils)
Eugnamptus angustatus
Bostrichidae (Horned Powder-post beetles)
Lichenophanes bicornis
Prostephanus punctatus
Xylobiops basilaris
Brentidae (Primitive weevils)
Arrhenodes minutus
Trichapion rostrum
Buprestidae (Metallic Wood-boring beetles)
Agrilus
Agrilus cuprescens
Agrilus ruficollis
Anthaxia
Cantharidae (Soldier beetles)
Atalantycha bilineata
Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus
Podabrus
Podabrus bassilaris
Podabrus rugosulus
Podabrus tomentosus
Podabrus flavicollis
Polemius canadensis
Rhagonycha
Carabidae (Ground beetles)
Acupalpus partiarius
Acupalpus subgenus Tachistodes
Agonum melanarium group
Agonum Subgenus Europhilus
Amara
Amara impuncticollis group
Amphasia interstitialis
Amphasia sericea
Anisodactylus sanctaecrucis
Bembidion impotens
Bembidion subgenus Notophus
Calleida punctata
Calosoma wilcoxi
Chlaenius nemoralis group
Chlaenius platyderus
Cicindela sexguttata
Cicindelidia punctulata
Clivina dentipes
Clivina fossor
Clivina impressefrons
Cyclotrachelus seximpressus
Cyclotrachelus sodalis
Dyschirius
Galerita bicolor
Harpalus (Megapangus)
Harpalus caliginosus
Harpalus compar
Harpalus herbivagus
Harpalus subgenus Pseudoophonus
Harpalus vagans
Lebia atriventris
Lebia fuscata
Lebia grandis
Lebia solea
Lebia viridis
Notiobia terminata
Notiophilus aeneus
Ophonus puncticeps
Paraclivina bipustulata
Platynus cincticollis
Platynus decentis
Poecilus chalcites
Poecilus lucublandus
Pterostichus stygicus
Scarites vicinus
Sphaeroderus stenostomus lecontei
Stenolophus comma
Stenolophus lineola
Stenolophus ochropezus
Cerambycidae (Long horned beetles)
Anelaphus parallelus
Brachysomida bivittata
Clytus ruricola
Enaphalodes rufulus
Euderces picipes
Graphisurus despectus
Hesperophanes pubescens
Heterachthes quadrimaculatus
Lepturges confluens
Monochamus scutellatus
Neandra brunnea
Saperda candida
Saperda discoidea
Saperda imitans
Saperda vestita
Sternidius
Strangalia luteicornis
Tetraopes tetraophthalmus
Typocerus velutinus
Xylotrechus colonus
Chrysomelidae (Leaf beetles)
Acalymma vittatum
Agroiconota bivittata
Altica chalybea
Bromius obscurus
Cassidini (tribe)
Chrysochus auratus
Chrysolina hyperici
Crepidodera
Diabrotica barberi
Diabrotica cristata
Diabrotica undecimpunctata
Disonycha xanthomelas
Labidomera clivicollis
Luperaltica nigripalpis
Luperaltica
Microrhopala excavata
Paria fragariae-complex
Phyllotreta striolata
Systena marginalis
Trirhabda canadensis
Xanthonia decemnotata
Cleridae (Checkered beetles)
Chariessa pilosa
Enoclerus rosmarus
Isohydnocera curtipennis
Necrobia violacea
Coccinellidae (Lady beetles)
Brachiacantha ursine
Chilocorus stigma
Coccinella septempunctata
Coleomegilla maculata lengi
Cycloneda munda
Harmonia axyridis
Hippodamia convergens
Hippodamia variegata
Crytophagidae (Silken Fungus beetles)
Cryptophagus
Curculionidae (Snout & Bark beetles)
Barypeithes pellucidus
Calomycterus setarius
Cleopomiarus hispidulus
Conotrachelus affinis
Conotrachelus elegans
Conotrachelus nenuphar
Conotrachelus posticatus
Conotrachelus
Corthylus columbianus
Curculio
Dryophthorus americanus
Epicaerus
Glocianus punctiger
Lignyodes bischoffi
Listronotus
Listronotus humilis
Nedyus apicalis
Odontocorynus
Otiorhynchus sulcatus
Phloeotribus liminaris
Phyxelis rigidus
Polydrusus formosus
Polydrusus impressifrons
Pseudobaris angusta
Scolytus multistriatus
Sitona hispidulus
Smicronyx
Xyleborinus saxesenii
Xyleborus xylographus
Dermestidae (Carpet beetles)
Dermestes lardarius
Trogoderma
Dytiscidae (Predaceous Diving beetles)
Celina hubbelli
Colymbetes sculptilis
Coptotomus longulus
Cybister fimbriolatus
Hygrotus impressopunctatus
Hygrotus sayi
Liodessus
Neoporus
Elateridae (Click beetles)
Aeolus mellillus
Ampedus areolatus
Ampedus linteus
Conoderus bellus
Dalopius
Elater abruptus
Gambrinus
Glyphonyx
Hemicrepidius decoloratus
Hemicrepidius memnonius
Melanotus
Melanotus communis complex
Melanotus decumanus
Elmidae (Riffles beetles)
Elmini tribe
Optioservus
Optioservus fastiditus
Heterlimnius
Stenelmis
Erotylidae (Pleasing Fungus beetles)
Ischyrus quadripunctatus
Tritoma humeralis
Tritoma mimetica
Eucnemidae (False Click beetles)
Dirrhagofarsus modestus
Geotrupidae (Boring Scarab beetles)
Bolbocerosoma bruneri
Geotrupes splendidus
Gyrinidae (Whirligig beetles)
Dineutus emarginatus
Haliplidae (Crawling Water beetles)
Peltodytes edentulus
Heteroceridae (Variegated Mud-loving beetles)
Heterocerus fenestratus
Heterocerus mollinus
Tropicus pusillus
Histeridae (Clown beetles)
Hololepta aequalis
Margarinotus immunis
Hydrophilidae (Water Scavenger beetles)
Berosus
Cercyon
Cercyon praetextatus
Enochrus
Helophorus
Hydrochara soror
Tropisternus lateralis
Tropisternus lateralis nimbatus
Laemophloeidae (Lined Flat Bark beetles)
Laemophloeus biguttatus
Laemophloeus fasciatus
Lampyridae (Fireflies)
Photinus
Photuris larva
Photuris
Latridiidae (Minute Brown Scavenger beetles)
Melanophthalma subgenus Melanophthalma
Leiodidae (Round Fungus beetles)
Colon
Lucanidae (Stag beetle)
Ceruchus piceus
Dorcus parallelus
Lucanus capreolus
Lycidae (Net-winged beetles)
Calopteron terminale
Erotides sculptilis
Plateros
Melandryidae (False Darkling beetles)
Orchesia
Meloidae (Blister beetles)
Epicauta funebris
Epicauta pennsylvanica
Rhyphonemognatha rufa
Zonitis bilineata
Zonitis vittigera
Mordellidae (Tumbling Flower beetles)
Glipa oculata
Mordella marginata
Mordella
Mordellaria serval
Mordellina pustulata
Mordellistena
Mordellistena convicta
Mycetophagidae (Hairy Fungus beetles)
Litargus tetraspilotus
Mycetophagus punctatus
Typhaea stercorea
Nitidulidae (Sap-feeding beetles)
Aethina tumida
Carpophilus
Carpophilus brachypterus
Cryptarcha ampla
Epuraea populi
Epuraea rufa
Glischrochilus fasciatus
Glischrochilus quadrisignatus
Glischrochilus sanguinolentus
Lobiopa undulata
Stelidota geminata
Passandridrae (Parasitic Flat Bark beetles)
Catogenus rufus
Phalacridae (Shiny Flower beetles)
Olibrus
Stilbus
Stilbus apicalis
Phengodidae (Glowworm beetles)
Phengodes
Phengodes plumosa
Pyrochroidae (Fire-colored beetles)
Dendroides canadens
Neopyrochroa flabellata
Ripiphoridae (Wedge-shaped beetles)
Macrosiagon limbatum
Scarabaeidae (Scarab beetles)
Aphodius prodromus
Aphodius stercorosus
Ataenius
Ataenius gracilis
Ataenius strigata group
Blackburneus stercorosus
Canthon
Canthon viridis
Copris fricator
Dichelonyx linearis
Diplotaxis
Diplotaxi harperi
Euphoria inda
Ligyrus relictus
Onthophagus hecate
Oscarinus rusicola
Osmoderma eremicola
Pelidnota punctata
Phanaeus vindex
Phyllophaga
Phyllophaga crenulata
Serica
Xyloryctes jamaicensis
Scirtidae (Marsh beetles)
Contacyphon
Contacyphon padi
Silphidae (Carrion beetles)
Necrodes surinamensis
Necrophila americana
Nicrophorus orbicollis
Nicrophorus pustulatus
Nicrophorus sayi
Nicrophorus pustulatus
Oiceoptoma noveboracense
Silvanidae (Silvanid Flat Bark beetles)
Ahasverus advena
Ahasverus rectus
Staphylinidae (Rove beetles)
Aleochara subgenus Tinotus
Bisnius blandus
Bledius
Carpelimus
Eleusinini
Gnypeta
Habrocerus
Homaeotarsus
Hoplandria
Lathrobiina subtribe
Lathrobiini Tribe
Neobisnius
Oxyporus rufipennis
Oxytelus or Anotylus
Palporus nitidulus
Philhygra
Philonthus thoracicus
Philonthus
Platydracus (cinnamopterus complex)
Platydracus zonatus
Pseudolathra
Staphylinina subtribe
Stenistoderus rubripennis
Tachiporini tribe
Tachyporus atriceps
Stenotrachelidae (False Longhorn beetles)
Cephaloon lepturides
Tenebrionidae (Darkling beetles)
Alphitophagus bifasciatus
Bolitotherus cornutus
Cynaeus angustus
Hymenorus
Mycetochara fraterna
Palorus ratzeburgii
Platydema ruficorne
Strongylium tenuicolle
Tenebrio molitor
Trogidae (Hide beetles)
Trox
Trox atrox
Trox scaber
Trogossitidae (Bark-gnawing beetles)
Tenebroides bimaculatus
Tenebroides laticollis