Darkling Beetles?
Hi,
I live in Ceduna, South Australia. We moved here at the start of the year and since then have been fascinated by these bugs. Everyone here calls them “stinky bugs” and, apparently, they do let off a bit of an odour when crushed. Anyhow, I’d been trying to find out what they were and so was very glad to stumble upon your site. Can you confirm that they are Darkling Beetles? I found a picture of one on your site that looked like a match. I’ve been told they come originally from India. Do you know if this is true? Cheers,
Adam
Hi Adam,
Yes, this is a Darkling beetle, and it does resemble the Stink Beetles in the genus Eleodes that are found in the American Southwest. In the limited time we spent researching your questions, we cannot confirm nor deny, nor do we know what species this is.
what is this horrible looking thing???
Hello, great site you have here. Been browsing it for a bit but still cant find this little chap on there! Found him under my carpet, with the cat sniffing near it. Don’t know if it came in off the cat, or if there is something in the house… It was found near my fireplace, which is not used and has a gas fire in front of it. The chimney is boarded up, but not sealed. Thanks for your help! I’m in the UK, by the way.
Ian
Hello again,
As well as asking you, I also asked the Natural History Museum insect dept. for some help, and they have sent a reply. Just though I would let you know, so you don’t waste any more time on this enquiry! It is a the larvae from a mealworm beetle apparently, and can be found in roofs/attics/chimneys where birds nest. hence why I found it in near my fireplace! Thanks anyway, and keep up the good work on a fantastic site! best regards,
Ian
Hi Ian,
Thank you for your photo as well as the results of your inquiries. During normal business hours, we at What’s That Bug? are in the real world trying to make a living and normally answer questions early in the morning or late at night. We were unaware that the Giant Mealworm Larva, a Darkling Beetle in the genus Zophobas, were found in association with bird nests. It is very interesting.
Correction (03/28/2008)
I just wanted to point out that as Ian was told by the Natural History Museum, this is a Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) which is not the same as a Superworm (Zophobas morio). Superworms are often confused with Giant Mealworms (the latter being a hormonally enhanced mealworm which grows larger for use as a feeder). While mealworms and superworms are both types of darkling beetles, they do have different appearances.
Desert something
Bugman:
This was found just outside our hooch in Kuwait. A friend in the states guessed darkling beetle. Any idea? I have seen no insects in Baghdad larger than a mosquito. Anything interesting I should keep an eye out for? Or good places to look? Thanks,
CTT1 Micah Coleman and CTR1 Fred Smith (He actually spotted the beetle)
Camp Slayer, Baghdad
Hi Micah,
We are in agreement with your friend who identified this as a Darkling Beetle. Darkling Beetles are in the family Tenebrionidae. Our two most common submissions from the Gulf are Mole Crickets and Camel Spiders.
¶ Posted 13 February 2007 § ‡ ° can’t rest until I know
It’s Christmas Day ’06… Merry Christmas! I live close to Perth in Western Australia and I have always had a fascination with all manner of bugs, but today I came across one that really caught my attention and I have never come across in all my almost 44 years on this amazing Earth! I have this problem where I can’t rest until I know what a thing is that captures my interest so and this is why I am sending these photos to see if you can help me? I checked out your wonderful beetle pic collection, but did not see it there. If you can tell what sex it is I’d also be interested in that, but mainly just what it is called. I know you’re busy.. but it’s your own fault for having such a great site. Thanks in advance,
Jill
Hi Jill,
We have been researching on the internet for the past hour and have nothing conclusive for you. Our first inclination, really just a guess, is that this is some species of Carrion Beetle in the family Silphidae. A google search lead us to an image of Ptomaphila perlata that is somewhat similar, but definitely not a species match. We are calling in the big guns with Eric Eaton to see if he at least agrees with the general identification of a Carrion Beetle. Each image we opened was more interesting than the last, so we are posting three in the hopes that some reader can give both you and us a conclusive identification as we will have trouble resting as well. Here is what Eric Eaton believes: “I’m pretty sure this is a darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. It resembles our American genus Embaphion, in fact. Eric”
(12/27/2006)
I can rest because now I know It’s a type of pie dish beetle! Thank you for your time… I should have mentioned that the bug in question was about an inch long by half an inch wide… quite large really!
Jill
Ed. Note: Pie Dish Beetle
January 30, 2010
We are doing some housecleaning and recategorizing some of our archive entries, and we found a broken link which we fixed. The Pie Dish Beetle is Pterohelaeus cornutus or Pterohelaeus piceus. The species is also known as a False Wireworm.
Correction: January 11, 2011
In researching a new posting today, we believe we have identified this Hairy Backed Pie Dish Beetle as Helea perforata on FlickR.
Mojave Desert Beetle
Hi there. I just wanted to say that I love your site, its provided many hours of fun browsing and reading. 
I thought I’d contribute some pictures I took while on a motorcycle trip through the Mojave last weekend. While walking off the beaten trail (my bike having gotten stuck in some sand), I saw this guy scurry across the path I was walking on. He was kind of a pain to get a picture of, but was kind enough to let me pick him up and set him down a few times so I could get a good picture. I found the texture on his abdomen to be quite facinating. I’ve never seen a beetle quite like it. An hour or so of searching online helped me ID the beetle as *Cryptoglossa verrucosa, *commonly called either the Grey Death Feigner, Mojave Desert Beetle, or (confusingly) the Ironclad Beetle. I’ve ID’d him succesfully, but still thought you might appreciate some pictures, as I didnt see any *Cryptoglossa verrucosa* in your beetle pages. I found it interesting that he didn’t display his death feigning behaviour when I handled him. He was quite active, running around in circles while I tried to get a decent photograph. Thanks for maintaining your site, I look forward to learning more from it. Sincerely,
Patrick Moore
Hi Patrick,
Earlier this year we did post another photo of a Death Feigning Beetle, but we are also thrilled to post your colorful letter and wonderful photo.
¶ Posted 05 September 2006 § ‡ ° Big Black Beetle
As a young boy I was quite the bug collector: everything I ever caught I would study religiously until I knew the creature inside and out. At the tender age of 10, I considered myself an expert in the field of Centipedes and Earwigs. One insect I occasionally came across in my little bug hunting adventures as a kid was what I labeled the ”Big Black Beetle”. I become quite fascinated with the beetle and wanted to know more, but my search to find more answers about the bug proved to be unsuccessful. And as time went on I, unfortunately, stopped looking for bugs all together as other hobbies and interests beckoned, and the mystery of the ”Big Black Beetle” seemed to be forgotten. Then last week at work (I work at a log home construction site) I found it! I was lifting up some boards and spotted the little guy. Maybe you guys can help me solve this mystery once and for all!
Thanks,
Braden
Hi Braden,
We are fairly certain this is a Darkling Beetle, possibly in the genus Eleodes, but we want to check with Eric Eaton for substantiation and perhaps a species identification. A location would be a tremendous help. Eric wrote: ” LOOKS like an Eleodes, but not knowing where exactly it was collected, I won’t say for certain. Other genera of Tenebrionidae can look nearly identical. Eleodes are typical of true deserts. Coelocnemis and Iphtheminus (spelling?) tend to replace Eleodes at higher elevations, like in Ponderosa pine forest habitats.”
Thanks for your help guys! I live in British Columbia, Canada. For some reason I thought I included my location in my initial e-mail, sorry about that!
¶ Posted 23 April 2006 § ‡ ° Colorado Springs Beetle
This came crawling along the floor in the basement of our Colorado Springs, CO home. We brought it outside, but it promtply died on our icy deck. While collecting it for transport, it emitted a chemical smell. The smell is quite potent. Is it of the genus Eloedes? Darkling beetle? Thanks for the info.
ryan
Hi Ryan,
You are correct. Darkling Beetles in the genus Eleodes are sometimes known as Stink Beetles.
¶ Posted 30 January 2006 § ‡ ° black beetles? possible stink beetle?
anyhoo! I’d love to know whats up!
thanks
Rebecca Brown Long Beach, Ca
Hi Rebecca,
What a wonderful Bug’s Eye View of these Stink Beetles mating. You must have been crawling on your belly to get that angle. Stink Beetles in the genus Eleodes are found throughout the arid West. They have fused wings which makes flight impossible. They amble along the ground in hilly areas and deserts, and if disturbed, they stick their rear ends up and emit a foul smelling odor.
¶ Posted 11 September 2005 § ‡ ° Tagged: bug love 
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