Table of Contents
Preface 7
Acknowledgments 8
Updates to Beetles of Eastern North America 10
Geographic Coverage and Classification 11
How to Use This Book 12
Illustrated Key to Common Beetle Families 12
Family Treatments 12
Species Accounts 13
Identification 13
Introduction to Beetles 15
Beetle Morphology 15
Behavior and Natural History 24
Beetles as Biological Controls 40
Beetles as Indicators of Past Environments 42
Threatened and Endangered Beetles 43
When and Where to Find Beetles 43
Observing and Photographing Beetles 48
Beetle Conservation 49
Collecting and Preserving Beetles 50
Making a Beetle Collection 58
Beetles on the Web 62
Keeping and Rearing Beetles in Captivity 63
Taking an Active Role in Beetle Research 66
Illustrated Key and Guide to the Common Beetle Families of Western North America 67
Beetles of Western North America 73
Cupedidae (Reticulated Beetles) 74
Micromalthidae (Telephone-pole Beetles) 75
Hydroscaphidae (Skiff Beetles) 76
Sphaeriusidae (Minute Bog Beetles) 77
Gyrinidae (Whirligig Beetles) 78
Haliplidae (Crawling Water Beetles) 79
Dytiscidae (Predaceous Diving Beetles) 81
Amphizoidae (Trout-stream Beetles) 86
Trachypachidae (False Ground Beetles) 87
Carabidae (Ground, Tiger, and Wrinkled Bark Beetles) 88
Eucinetidae (Plate-thigh Beetles) 112
Clambidae (Minute Beetles) 113
Scirtidae (Marsh Beetles) 114
Nosodendridae (Wounded Tree Beetles) 115
Derodontidae (Tooth-neck Fungus Beetles) 116
Helophoridae (Helophorid Water Beetle) 118
Epimetopidae (Hooded Shore Beetles) 119
Georissidae (Minute Mud-loving Beetles) 120
Hydrochidae (Hydrochid Water Beetles) 121
Hydrophilidae (Water Scavenger Beetles) 122
Sphaeritidae (False Clown Beetles) 126
Histeridae (Hister Beetles) 127
Hydraenidae (Minute Moss Beetles) 132
Ptiliidae (Featherwing Beetles) 134
Agyrtidae (Primitive Carrion Beetles) 135
Leiodidae (Round Fungus Beetles) 137
Silphidae (Burying and Carrion Beetles) 140
Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles) 143
Pleocomidae (Rain Beetles) 153
Geotrupidae (Earth-boring Scarab Beetles) 156
Trogidae (Hide Beetles) 159
Glaresidae (Enigmatic Scarab Beetles) 162
Diphyllostomatidae (False Stag Beetles) 163
Lucanidae (Stag Beetles) 164
Ochodaeidae (Sand-loving Scarab Beetles) 167
Hybosoridae (Scavenger and Pill Scarab Beetles) 169
Glaphyridae (Bumble Bee Scarab Beetles) 170
Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles) 172
Dascillidae (Soft-bodied Plant Beetles) 206
Rhipiceridae (Cicada Parasite or Cedar Beetles) 207
Schizopodidae (False Jewel Beetles) 208
Buprestidae (Metallic Wood-boring or Jewel Beetles) 210
Byrrhidae (Pill or Moss Beetles) 233
Elmidae (Riffle Beetles) 235
Dryopidae (Long-toed Water Beetles) 239
Lutrochidae (Travertine Beetles) 240
Limnichidae (Minute Marsh-loving Beetles) 241
Heteroceridae (Variegated Mud-loving Beetles) 242
Psephenidae (Water Penny Beetles) 244
Ptilodactylidae (Ptilodactylid Beetles) 245
Eulichadidae (Forest Stream Beetles) 246
Artematopodidae (Artematopodid Beetles) 247
Omethidae (False Soldier, False Firefly, and Long-lipped Beetles) 249
Cerophytidae (Rare Click Beetles) 250
Brachypsectridae (Texas Beetles) 251
Throscidae (Throscid Beetles) 252
Eucnemidae (False Click Beetles) 254
Lycidae (Net-winged Beetles) 258
Lampyridae (Fireflies, Lightningbugs, and Glowworms) 262
Cantharidae (Soldier Beetles) 265
Phengodidae (Glowworms) 271
Elateridae (Click Beetles) 273
Dermestidae (Skin Beetles) 290
Bostrichidae (Bostrichid Beetles) 295
Ptinidae (Death-watch and Spider Beetles) 299
Bothrideridae (Bothriderid Beetles) 306
Murmidiidae (Murmidiid Beetles) 307
Teredidae (Teredid Beetles) 308
Cerylonidae (Minute Bark Beetles) 309
Latridiidae (Minute Brown Scavenger Beetles) 311
Akalyptoischiidae (Akalyptoischiid Scavenger Beetles) 313
Anamorphidae (Anamorphid Fungus Beetles) 314
Corylophidae (Minute Hooded and Fungus Beetles) 314
Endomychidae (Handsome Fungus Beetles) 315
Mycetaeidae (Hairy Cellar Beetles) 318
Coccinellidae (Lady Beetles) 318
Mycetophagidae (Hairy Fungus Beetles) 326
Archeocrypticidae (Archeocrypticid Beetles) 328
Ciidae (Minute Tree-fungus Beetles) 329
Tetratomidae (Polypore Fungus Beetles) 330
Melandryidae (False Darkling Beetles) 333
Mordellidae (Tumbling Flower Beetles) 336
Ripiphoridae (Ripiphorid Beetles) 338
Zopheridae (Zopherid Beetles) 340
Tenebrionidae (Darkling Beetles) 347
Prostomidae (Jugular-horned Beetles) 372
Stenotrachelidae (False Longhorn Beetles) 372
Oedemeridae (False Blister Beetles) 374
Meloidae (Blister Beetles) 378
Mycteridae (Palm and Flower Beetles) 390
Boridae (Conifer Bark Beetles) 391
Pythidae (Dead Log Beetles) 392
Pyrochroidae (Fire-colored Beetles) 394
Ischaliidae (Ischaliid Beetles) 396
Salpingidae (Narrow-waisted Bark Beetles) 397
Anthicidae (Antlike Flower Beetles) 400
Aderidae (Antlike Leaf Beetles) 406
Scraptiidae (False Flower Beetles) 408
Byturidae (Fruitworm Beetles) 410
Biphyllidae (False Skin Beetles) 411
Peltidae (Shield Beetles) 412
Lophocateridae (Lophocaterid Beetles) 413
Trogossitidae (Bark-gnawing Beetles and Cadelles) 414
Thymalidae (Thymalid Beetles) 417
Mauroniscidae (Mauroniscid Flower Beetles) 418
Rhadalidae (Rhadalid Flower Beetles) 419
Melyridae (Soft-winged Flower Beetles) 420
Cleridae (Checkered Beetles) 425
Sphindidae (Cryptic Slime Mold Beetles) 434
Erotylidae (Pleasing Fungus and Lizard Beetles) 435
Monotomidae (Root-eating Beetles) 438
Smicripidae (Palmetto Beetles) 440
Kateretidae (Short-winged Flower Beetles) 441
Nitidulidae (Sap Beetles) 443
Cryptophagidae (Silken Fungus Beetles) 449
Silvanidae (Silvanid Flat Bark Beetles) 451
Cucujidae (Flat Bark Beetles) 453
Passandridae (Parasitic Flat Bark Beetles) 455
Phalacridae (Shining Flower and Shining Mold Beetles) 456
Laemophloeidae (Lined Flat Bark Beetles) 458
Cybocephalidae (Cybocephalid Beetles) 459
Cerambycidae (Longhorn Beetles) 460
Megalopodidae (Megalopodid Leaf Beetles) 498
Orsodacnidae (Orsodacnid Leaf Beetles) 499
Chrysomelidae (Leaf and Seed Beetles) 501
Cimberididae (Cimberidid Snout Beetles) 529
Nemonychidae (Pine Flower Snout Beetles) 531
Anthribidae (Fungus Weevils) 532
Attelabidae (Leaf-rolling and Thief Weevils, and Tooth-nose Snout Beetles) 534
Brentidae (Straight-snouted and Pear-shaped Weevils) 537
Curculionidae (Weevils and Snout, Bark, and Ambrosia Beetles) 538
Appendix: Classification of the Beetles Covered in This Book 564
Glossary 585
Selected References and Resources 590
Figure and Photo Credits 594
Index 606