1. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
antennae with an asymmetrical club of 3-8 segments
fore coxae large, projecting below prosternum
fore tibia flattened, with 1 or more teeth on outer edge
- antennal segments of club can’t close
Passalidae – Bessbugs
Lucanidae – Stag Beetles (24)
- dorsal surface evenly rounded
- mentum simple
Feed on fluids of decaying wood;
Male mandibles for combat
video

4. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- antennal segments of club can’t close
Passalidae – Bessbugs
Lucanidae – Stag Beetles
- antennal segments of club can close
6. Scarabaeidae – Scarab Beetles (1400)
video

5. Hercules Beetle
video
June ‘bugs’
Japanese beetle

6. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- Superfamily Chrysomeloidea:
tarsi pseudotetramerous (uh, yeah…!)
phytophagous

8. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- Superfamily Chrysomeloidea:
tarsi pseudotetramerous (uh, yeah…!)
phytophagous
Cerambycidae – Long-horned Beetles (900)
- 1st antennal segment usually many x longer than 2nd
- antennae usually longer than ½ body length
- antennae inserted on a ‘prominence’
- body elongate
- tibia with two apical spurs
- eyes often notched or divided by antennae
- larvae are wood-boring and destructive
video
video

9. video

10. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- Superfamily Chrysomeloidea:
tarsi pseudotetramerous (uh, yeah…!)
phytophagous
Cerambycidae – Long-horned Beetles
Chrysomelidae – Leaf Beetles (1720)
- 1st antennal segment seldom 2-3x longer than 2nd
- antennae usually shorter than ½ body length
- antennae not inserted on a ‘prominence’
- body short, circular
- one tibia with < 2 apical spurs
- eyes notched or divided by antennae
- larvae are wood-boring and destructive
video

13. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- Superfamily Chrysomeloidea:
- Superfamily Cucurlionoidea:
Cucurlionidae – Snout Beetles (3000)
- often with a pronounced snout
- antennae arising mid-way down snout
- antennae often geniculate (elbowed)
- club with 4 or fewer segments
video

15. video
video

16. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- Superfamily Chrysomeloidea:
- Superfamily Cucurlionoidea:
Cucurlionidae – Snout Beetles
Anthribidae – Fungus Weevils (90)
- short snout
- antennae not elbowed; some are long as the
body, other short
- some larvae develop in woody shelf fungi

18. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- Superfamily Chrysomeloidea:
- Superfamily Cucurlionoidea:
Cucurlionidae – Snout Beetles
Anthribidae – Fungus Weevils
Brentidae – Straight-snouted Weevils (156)
- straight snout
- often reddish and black, elongate or pear shaped
video

20. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- Superfamily Chrysomeloidea:
- Superfamily Cucurlionoidea:
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
elytra often short, antennae clubbed
11. Staphylinidae – Rove Beetles (4153)
- elytra short and square; > 3 abdominal segments visible
- abdomen often held over the head, scorpion-like
- live in a variety of habitats, but often around
decaying material. Larvae and adults predaceous
- some parasitic in ant nests

22. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Adephaga: notopleural suture (seam) on prothorax
- aquatic; hind legs fringed with hairs and flattened, metasternum without
transverse suture anterior to coxae
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Scaraboidea:
- Superfamily Chrysomeloidea:
- Superfamily Cucurlionoidea:
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
elytra often short, antennae clubbed
11. Staphylinidae – Rove Beetles
12. Silphidae – Carrion Beetles (30)
- soft-bodied
- elytra can be short; often red and black
video

25. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
13. Elateridae – Click Beetles (965)
- prosternum with a ventral spine that is received in the mesosternum
video

26. video

27. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
13. Elateridae – Click Beetles (965)
14. Lycidae - Net-winged Beetles (76)
- soft-bodies, elongate
- wings with raised ridges, yellow/orange and black
- adults feed on decaying juices; larvae predaceous

28. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
13. Elateridae – Click Beetles
14. Lycidae - Net-winged Beetles
15. Lampyridae – Fireflies / Lighteningbugs (125)
- pronotum comes forward over the head
- wings soft and rather flat
- large species bioluminesce by allowing the oxidation of luciferin made in the abdominal segments. Flow of air into the segments is regulated, creating a blinking pattrern by regulating the activity of the enzyme luciferase.
video

30. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
13. Elateridae – Click Beetles
14. Lycidae - Net-winged Beetles
15. Lampyridae – Fireflies / Lighteningbugs
16. Cantharidae – Soldier Beetles (473)
- similar to fireflies but head is visible

31. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
17. Cocinellidae – Ladybird Beetles (475)
- oval, convex, head covered by pronotum
- tarsi with 3 segments (similar chrysomelids seem to have 4)

32. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
17. Cocinellidae – Ladybird Beetles
18. Nitidulidae – Sap-feeding Beetles (165)
- elytra short, expose terminal abdominal segment
that segment (pygidium) heavily puctate
- three or four segmented club
- attracted to fruits and sap

34. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
17. Cocinellidae – Ladybird Beetles
18. Nitidulidae – Sap-feeding Beetles
19. Erotylidae – Pleasing Fungus Beeltes (50)
- oval, shiny beetles; with red/orange on black
- many look like they have 4 tarsal segments

35. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
- Superfamily Hydrophiloidea:
20. Hydrophilidae – Water Scavenger Beetles (284)
- similar to dytiscids, but short clubbed antennae and visible maxillary palps
- some have a metasternal spine that can be used to jab fingers
- first abdominal seg not divided by coxae (Polyphaga)

36. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
- Superfamily Hydrophiloidea:
20. Hydrophilidae – Water Scavenger Beetles
21. Histeridae – Hister Beetles (435)
- elytra blunt-ended, exposing 1-2 segments
- antennae elbowed and clubbed
- tibia dilated, foretibia toothed
- legs draw into grooves in body

37. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
- Superfamily Hydrophiloidea:
- Superfamily Tenebrionoidea:
22. Tenebrionidae – Darkling Beetles (1000)
- mostly western, but some eastern representatives
- tarsi are 5-5-4
- eyes notched
- mealworms are larvae

38. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
- Superfamily Hydrophiloidea:
- Superfamily Tenebrionoidea:
23. Meloidae – Blister Beetles (400)
- elytra shorter than abdomen and apices separate
- pronotum narrower than head and elytra
- some secrete cantharadin, causing blistering on skin

39. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
- Superfamily Hydrophiloidea:
- Superfamily Tenebrionoidea:
24. Mordellidae – Tumbling Flower Beetle (200)
- body wedge-shaped and hump-backed
- abdomen pointed and longer than elytra (‘pin-tailed beetles)
- small 3-7mm, on flowers – quick; also tumble from flowers

41. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
- Superfamily Hydrophiloidea:
- Superfamily Tenebrionoidea:
25. Mycetophagidae – Hairy Fungus Beetles (26)
- hairy; ofetn with red and black
- small, 1.5 – 5.5 mm
- live under bark and in shelf fungi

42. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Elateroidea:
- Superfamily Cucujoidea:
- Superfamily Hydrophiloidea:
- Superfamily Tenebrionoidea:
- Superfamily Buprestoidea:
26. Buprestidae – Metallic Wood-Boring Beetles (762)
- typical shape
- shiny, metallic ventral surface
- larvae damage trees

44. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Buprestoidea:
- Superfamily Cleroidea:
27. Cleridae – Checkered Beetles (291)
- elongate and hairy
- elytra narrower than base of wings
- predaceous; common in logs
- eyes often emarginate
- multiple tarsomeres lobed
- antennae clubbed

45. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Buprestoidea:
- Superfamily Cleroidea:
27. Cleridae – Checkered Beetles
28. Melyridae – Soft-Winged Flower Beetles (520)
- antennae usually not clubbed
- tarsi not lobed
- less than 10mm
- often red and black

46. Some with two basal antennal segments enlarged

47. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Buprestoidea:
- Superfamily Cleroidea:
- Superfamily Bostrichidae:
29. Bostrichidae – Branch and Twig Borers (70)
- pronotum hoodlike – head pointed down
- elongate, cylindrical body
- atack living and dead wood

48. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Buprestoidea:
- Superfamily Cleroidea:
- Superfamily Bostrichidae:
29. Bostrichidae – Branch and Twig Borers
30. Anobiidae – Death Watch Beetles (464)
- very similar to Bostrichids
- last three antennal segments longer

50. ORDER: Coleoptera – Beetles
- Suborder Polyphaga: notopleural sutures absent
- Superfamily Staphylinoidea:
- Superfamily Buprestoidea:
- Superfamily Cleroidea:
- Superfamily Bostrichidae:
29. Bostrichidae – Branch and Twig Borers
30. Anobiidae – Death Watch Beetles (464)
31. Dermestidae – Skin or Carpet Beetles (123)
- scavengers – eat skin, hair, chitin, carpet
- most adults have a median ocellus