How Long Do Beetles Live? Unraveling the Lifespan Mysteries of these Insects

Beetles are fascinating creatures, comprising the largest group of insects on Earth.

With one-quarter of all known animal species and a third of all described insects being beetles, their life expectancies vary considerably.

Some predatory beetles, for example, live up to 4 years, while others may have shorter lifespans.

Different factors, such as environmental conditions and food availability, influence the longevity of these insects.

Their life cycle, known as complete metamorphosis, includes stages like egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

The duration spent in each stage also varies among different beetle species, contributing to their overall lifespan and survival rate.

As we explore the diverse world of beetles, it becomes clear that there is much to learn about these incredibly diverse and fascinating creatures.

How Long Do Beetles Live? Life Cycle of Beetles

Beetles undergo a process called complete metamorphosis, which consists of four different stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

The duration of a beetle’s life cycle varies depending on the species.

In the first stage, female beetles lay eggs that usually take around 7 to 10 days to hatch. The hatched larvae, often called “mealworms” in some species, are quite different in appearance from adult beetles.

Larvae feed and grow, shedding their exoskeleton multiple times before entering the pupa stage. Pupal development can vary in length; for some beetles, it may take a few weeks, while others may remain in this stage for months.

Once the adult beetle emerges, it is ready to mate and reproduce. Some beetles have shorter lifespans of just a few weeks, while others can live up to several years.

Factors affecting lifespan include environmental conditions, predation, and availability of food sources.

Examples of beetle species and typical lifespans:

• Lady beetles: up to 1 year
• Stag beetles: 2-3 years
• Longhorn beetles: 2-5 years

Comparison table of beetle lifecycles:

Beetle Species	Egg Duration	Larva Duration	Pupa Duration	Adult Lifespan
Lady Beetle	4-7 days	2-3 weeks	5-12 days	up to 1 year
Stag Beetle	10-14 days	1-2 years	3-5 months	2-3 years
Longhorn Beetle	7-10 days	1-3 years	2-4 weeks	2-5 years

Life Cycle Stages

Egg Stage

Beetles begin their life as eggs, which are usually laid by the female in protected areas. The duration of the egg stage varies among species, but it typically lasts for 7 to 10 days¹.

Larval Stage

After hatching, the beetles enter the larval stage. They go through several growth stages called instars. The larval stage duration can differ significantly, with some species having multiple generations per year².

Pupal Stage

Once the larval stage is complete, beetles enter the pupal stage. This is where they undergo complete metamorphosis². The pupal stage duration also varies among species.

Adult Stage

After emerging from the pupal stage, beetles become adults². Adult beetles are capable of reproduction. The lifespan of adult beetles differs greatly among species.

Comparison Table

Stage	Duration (Varies with Species)
Egg	7 to 10 days
Larval	Multiple generations per year
Pupal	Varies
Adult	Varies

Beetle Classification and Species

Ground Beetles

Ground beetles are a large, diverse group of beetles in the family Carabidae. Most ground beetles live for around one year.

They are known for their:

• Predatory habits
• Fast-moving abilities
• Variety of sizes and colors

Examples include the Bombardier beetle and the tiger beetle.

Leaf Beetles

Leaf beetles belong to the family Chrysomelidae and are known for:

• Feeding on leaves
• Bright colors
• Diverse shapes

Leaf beetles have a lifecycle of about two months and can have several generations in a year.

Some examples are the Colorado potato beetle and the tortoise beetle.

Longhorn Beetles

In the family Cerambycidae, longhorn beetles have:

• Long antennae
• Wood-boring habits

Typically these beetles live between one to two years, though it varies greatly by species.

Examples are the elder borer and the cottonwood borer.

Ladybugs

Also called ladybirds, these beetles are in the family Coccinellidae. They:

• Consume pests like aphids
• Show bright colors
• Exhibit round shapes

Examples are the seven-spotted ladybird and the Asian ladybird. These beetles typically live for about one year.

Weevils

Weevils belong to the family Curculionidae. They live for about two to three months.

Characteristics include:

• Snout-like mouthparts
• Feeding on plants

For example, the boll weevil is a known pest of cotton crops.

Fireflies

Fireflies, in the family Lampyridae, are beetles that:

• Produce light (bioluminescence)
• Are active at night

Fireflies can live for about an year.

Examples are the common eastern firefly and the big dipper firefly.

Here’s a comparison table of the mentioned beetle families:

Beetle Family	Example	Distinct Feature	Lifespan
Carabidae	Bombardier beetle	Predatory habits	1 year
Chrysomelidae	Colorado potato-beetle	Leaf-eating habits	2 months
Cerambycidae	Elder borer	Long antennae	1-2 years
Coccinellidae	Seven-spotted ladybird	Pest control	1 year
Curculionidae	Boll weevil	Snout-like mouthparts	2-3 months
Lampyridae	Common eastern firefly	Bioluminescence	1 year

Conclusion

Beetles, representing a vast portion of insect diversity, have lifespans that vary significantly across species.

Their life cycle, characterized by complete metamorphosis, consists of stages like egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Factors such as environment and food availability play a role in their longevity.

Understanding the intricacies of beetle lifespans and behaviors offers insights into their ecological importance and interactions with human environments.

Footnotes

1. Beetle Life Cycle | Ask A Biologist ↩

2. Beetles (Coleoptera) – Wisconsin Horticulture ↩ ↩² ↩³

Reader Emails

Over the years, our website, whatsthatbug.com has received hundreds of letters and some interesting images asking us about beetles. Scroll down to have a look at some of them.

Letter 1 – Stag Beetle

Hi Bugman,
I read through your website and still am not able to find what this creature is!!! I spent last night surfing the web, trying to find out more information, but still no luck. You’re my last resort, Bugman! My husband and I came home to find 2 of these on our garage floor.

It’s by far the largest bug I’ve ever seen! It measures about 1.5 inches long (see picture). I thought it was some sort of beetle or cockroach, but apparently not. My friend did more research and thought it was the (rare?) Stag Beetle. But it doesn’t match the description.

We live in Massachusetts. I’m not sure how common this bug is, or if it’s even harmful at all. I know you’re busy right now, what with summer and all, but I’d appreciate any help you can give us! Great website, by the way!
Lynn
Freaked out in Massachusetts.

Dear Freaked Out,
It is a Stag Beetle. I know there are reddish varieties, but I have only seen black ones. Perhaps the red beetles you found are a subspecies of Pseudoleucanus capreolus. The photos are beautiful.

They are not harmful, though can deliver a mild pinch with those formidable jaws on the male beetle. The grubs eat rotting wood. One of the few items in our gift shop right now is a stag beetle t-shirt.

Letter 2 – Request for Information: Lax Beetles from New Zealand cause contact dermatitis!!!

Subject: HELP WITH LAX BEETLES
Location: Rangiotu, Manawatu [North Island, New Zealand]
December 31, 2012 6:54 pm
Every summer we have a plague of lax beetles and it is driving me to the point of wanting to move house. We have all suffered the painful blisters and just now we had to remove a large lax beetle from out 11 month baby’s face. Ran inside and washed it with running water but still waiting to see what emerges.

I know you do not endorse eradication but summers are rather unpleasant living in fear of these little bugs and I would really like some tips on how to control them and protect my family. We live in the country and work, play and eat outside whenever the weather is fine and we enjoy our diverse selection of wildlife and insects.

These beetles are something else and I am scared to let my young children play out on the lawn. Each morning I am sweeping up tens of these from the floors and decks around the house.
Signature: ? Pania Flint

Dear Pania,
We have to confess that we had no idea what Lax Beetles were until we began to research you submission.  We learned on Nature Watch that Lax Beetles are False Blister Beetles in the family Oedemeridae.  We also learned on Nature Watch that

“Adults contain the toxic cantharidin in their corporal fluids as a defensive mechanism; several species show brilliant and metallic blue, green, gold or coppery, often combined with yellow, orange or red, aposematic colourations. In temperate regions, adults are mainly polyphagous pollen and nectar-feeding, and diurnal in activity. In tropical areas, most are nocturnal and are attracted to light.” 

We then learned the identity of your beetle, the Striped Lax Beetle, Thelyphassa lineata, on Project Noah.  Photos can also be found on the Australian government page PaDIL.  The New Zealand Landcare Research website indicates:  “Attracted to lights  Grubs found in rotten wood  Adults probably feed on pollen and nectar.” 

We do not give extermination advice, but you might be able to control the numbers of Lax Beetles by controlling their needs.  Do not keep outdoor lights on at night and try to secure window screens so they cannot get indoors at night.  Remove all rotting wood from the vicinity and try to determine which pollen producing plants the adults are attracted to and remove those plants from your yard.

Thank you for your quick response and the useful links.
We have done a bit of research in the past and have come up with more-or-less what you have said. We do also have the spotted lax beetle here and I am pretty sure we have the odd “Dark-patch lax beetle” as well. Haha – There is nothing “false” about the blisters they produce.

The biggest problem is that we are surrounded by pine trees and that is, presumably, where they breed. We can not identify any nectar producing plants that would attract them to the garden, except lemonwood trees but they are not flowering at present.

The lights of the house at night attract them for sure, so we keep windows and doors closed after dusk. They may be attracted to the lucerne flowering in the paddock.
I don’t think any of the more colourful varieties of blister beetle are present in New Zealand.
They are definitely nocturnal here (although we are in a temperate, not tropical location). They fly at night, starting in the early evening, (not sure about feeding patterns), during the day they hide in shady, damp areas, and are often in the folds of the sun umbrella at the outdoors table or in the crevices of wooden structures.

They do not usually fly during the day and are usually found on their backs with legs moving when I sweep them up off the floor and deck in the morning. If turned right way up, they walk quickly along floors and walls and people. If knocked off of high object, they usually just fall down to the ground and start walking rather than fly off.

If a lax beetle lands on you the most important things to do are: Do not squash it – Do not rub it or brush it off slowly, use a very quick flick to get it off, hopefully before it can release the toxin from its joints. Then wash the area of skin under plenty of running water.

That seems to work in most cases for us and my baby’s cheek seems to be OK after following the above procedure. Where we have problems is when we do not notice the beetle on the body and then maybe accidentally squash it a bit. We have often been blistered while sleeping.

Apparently they are quite toxic if accidentally ingested. That is unlikely due to their large size, but a baby might pop one in his mouth out of curiosity. They can be eaten by stock, e.g. in hay but we have not noticed any problems with our stock.

On the positive side, while the blisters can develop into fairly large, painful erosive lesions that take several weeks to heal, there does not appear to be long-term scarring. The blisters themselves are not painful, it is the erosion left after the blister pops and skin lifts that is painful.

I had a large blister across my chin three years ago. It took about 2 months to heal but there is no residual scarring now and my older son had a blister approx 7cm diameter on the top of his head when he was a 3 month old baby that healed up fine.

It would be useful to know:
What is the flight distance of an adult?
What do the nymphs or larvae look like? (I haven’t found any pictures on the internet)
What is the exact life-cycle.
Are there any specific plants that they feed on?
How quickly does the cantharidin toxin break down and can it be released from dead beetles?
The published literature seems to be limited.
Thanks again
Pania

Hi Pania,
This will take considerable research.  For the moment, we will feature your question and we hope one of our readers might be able to assist in this matter.

Letter 3 – Three Lined Lema Beetle: imago, larva and eggs

yellow black striped bug
August 2, 2009
Hi,
I e-mailed you yesterday (August 1st) about a tiny yellow black striped bug I found on my plant. I found out it’s a striped cucumber beetle.
However, the tiny eggs and larvae I found on the same plant might not be from the cucumber beetle. Can you help me figuring out what the eggs/larvae are?
Thanks!
A. Smith
Sanford, NC

small yellow/black bug and larva
August 1, 2009
Hi Bugman!
August 1st, NC
I just found this tiny yellow/black striped bug (about 1/4 inch) on my plants (it can fly and two of them were mating) and also these tiny yellow eggs and little worms (larva?). They seem to have poop on their back. They are eating my plant. Can you tell me what bug and what kind of larva this is? Pest or not?
Thank you!
A. Smith
Sanford, NC

Dear A.,
We are very excited to get your photo documentation of the life stages of a Three Lined Lema Beetle, Lema trivittata.  BugGuide has numerous images of the adult, but no photos of a larva. 

The larvae of the Skeletonizing Leaf Beetles have general similarities, and since the adults, eggs and larvae were all found on the same plant, circumstantial evidence indicates that they are all the same species.  Another species in the genus, Lema daturaphila, is called the Three Lined Potato Beetle, and it looks very similar. 

Here is how BugGuide identifies the differences:  “Identification  Adults virtually of same appearance as L. daturaphila, but may be discriminated as follows (according to White&Day):
– median yellow band on elytra paler at sides in living specimens (of one colour in daturaphila; seems not to work with bugguide images);
– lateral black band covering 2 1/2 intervals at most (more than 2 1/2 in daturaphila);
(following characters of +/- gradual nature)
– tibiae usually yellow for more than half of their length (nearly always dark to more than 1/2 in daturaphila);
– femora often dark apically (rarely so in daturaphila)
– sternal pieces often broadly black (sometimes narrowly black in daturaphila)
The eggs of trivittata are said to have blackish tips, while those of daturaphila are dark yellow throughout.”

The fact that your eggs have black tips satisfies us that you have the Three Lined Lema Beetle, Lema trivittata, living on your plant.  We wish you had provided a name for the plant.

August 2, 2009
Thank you so much for identifying my mystery bug and pointing out the difference between the trivittata and daturaphila!
I guess I was wrong about the cucumber beetle 🙂
In my submission I actually wanted to tell you the name of the plant but I forgot what it’s called. I did a little bit of research and found the name: Iochroma cyanea ‘Purple Queen’
Unfortunately, the larvae is eating the leaves :(.
Thanks again!
Astrid Smith

Hi Again Astrid,
Iachroma cyanea is in the family Solanacea, which is consistent with the food source of the Three Lined Lema Beetle.

Letter 4 – Stag Beetle from Korea

Subject:  A bronze lucanid species
Geographic location of the bug:  Seoul, Korea
Date: 11/25/2018
Time: 03:26 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I found this little bugger last month. Our security guard attempted to kill it, but I saved it just in time. I think it’s a Prismognathus dauricus because I saw a picture of that in my insect encyclopedia.

Here is my picture with my Nippondorcus rubrofemoratus and another pic only showing himself. I heard that they only live for 1~2 months so I decided to keep it.
How you want your letter signed:  William Hong

Dear William,
Thanks for sending in your images of two species of Stag Beetles from Korea.  We located an image of Prismognathus dauricus on Insect Collectors Shop and it does look similar as does the image on Projects Biodiversity.  Also, many thanks for your comments on images in our archives that we identified as probably being Scarab Beetle grubs that you believe are Stag Beetle grubs.

Letter 5 – Red Legged Ham Beetle

Subject: beetle in warehouse
Location: Huntington Beach CA
December 7, 2015 6:47 am
We are a non-profit pet food bank that has recently been infested with beetles. These black/ iridescent green beetle seem to get into the pet food. They crawl and fly.

We would like to know what they are, and how to get them out into the outside. They are not grain beetles like we have seen before. Our food is too precious for the animal rescues to have to throw it away. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanx!
Signature: Renee, The Pet Food Bank

Dear Renee,
There is not much detail in your submitted image, but we can tell you that there are numerous beetles in different families, including Dermestidae, Ptinidae, Tenebrionidae and Curculionidae that will infest stored foods.  See the Penn State University Department of Entomology site for some typical culprits. 

We are not familiar with a black/iridescent green pantry pest, but with global travel and trade, many heretofore unknown creatures are establishing themselves in new locations.  Once the adult stages make themselves known, the best route to eliminating an infestation is to remove all stored pantry products that might be infested. 

Eggs and larvae often go unnoticed, and it is not until the adults leave the food source that the infestation is discovered, and by that time it might be too late.

Update:  December 10, 2015
Daniel,
here is a better photo of the culprit. I appreciate the any info you have. They seem to like the pet food, cardboard, and wood pallets…guess they are not picky! We must be a buffet for them!
I did contact Penn state, they referred UC Davis, and they never responded. Then we contacted UC Riverside, and no response either.
Thanx for all your help.

Letter 6 – Varied Carpet Beetles

A very big & gracious……….THANK U SO VERY MUCH
March 30, 2011 11:10 am
I’m an absolute virgin to the internet, but am very grateful to your site.      I have identified that I have an infestation of the varied carpet beetle (NOT bed bugs as was my 1st thought).                                  

My QUESTION is:     How do I deter and remove them from my home without KILLING or HARMING them in anyway? ….. Also ….. what outside habitat do the prefer, IF – I’m able to find them.?                          

I do know & understand u r a small group of volunteers, that you have a lot of work to do for your site and u cant possibly read or reply to all the questions & queries sent to u.  If u do happen to read this it would be most appreciated if u dont have the answers if  can give me another web address where I can find my answers.              

Yours   Truly & Utterly Grateful,                from  Shelley,frae SCOTLAND.   U.K.
Signature: Shelley

Hi Shelley,
Your complimentary email touched us and we want you to know that we do not frown upon “internet virgins” visiting our website.  We are happy to hear you had a good experience.  We have chosen a photo from our archives of Varied Carpet Beetles, Anthrenus verbasci, taken by Tina, to accompany your letter. 

This particular photo shows the adults in their preferred habitat, the garden.  Adult Varied Carpet Beetles feed upon pollen, and were it not for the potentially destructive tendencies of the larvae, which feed upon organic fibers, they might be considered a beneficial species.  Varied Carpet Beetles have adapted to living with humans, and they are one of the most commonly encountered species to be found in the home. 

Because the larvae may damage woolen rugs and other articles made of fur and feathers they are considered a household pest, but they also feed upon accumulated pet hair in the home.  Adults are most commonly noticed on window sills.  They need to get outside to feed upon pollen, and the adults will not damage the home.  We would suggest a small whisk broom and dust pan for capturing the adults so that they may be released outdoors. 

Frequent vacuuming under beds and under couch cushions and similar locations will minimize the presence of the larvae and then reduce the numbers of adults you find indoors.  Identification requests of both adult and larval Carpet Beetles have been among our most common queries this year. 

We seriously contemplated making the Carpet Beetle the Bug of the Month again this past winter.  Instead, we have been regularly highlighting it in our relatively new featured section at the top of our home page.

Letter 7 – Possibly Water Scavenger Beetle Larva from Japan we believe

Subject:  Mystery Bug, Japan
Geographic location of the bug:  Northern Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
Date: 06/22/2019
Time: 07:13 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I found the strangest bug out on my run today. We’re in the middle of the rainy season right now (late June), and a massive downpour had just finished. I live in a pretty rural area and I found this guy on the road next to the rice paddies.

At first I thought it was a caterpillar of some kind, but the way it was moving was a little off. Instead of the normal perstaltic motion it was kinda flopping around more like “the worm” dance, raising it’s head pretty significantly at the end of each movement. And when it flipped over while crawling I was surprised to see it had six legs!

The skin looked pretty soft and covered in silt, and combined with the fact that it wasn’t very elegant moving around on land I guessed it was probably aquatic. When I got home I googled pictures for dragonfly larvae though, they don’t match at all! It was about 10 cms long, with a rather big and fat “tail”, six small legs, and small but noticable mandibles. What kind of bug could this be? I’ve never seen anything like this in the three years I’ve lived here. Thank you!
How you want your letter signed:  Justin

Dear Justin,
Had you only provided us with a dorsal view, we might have pondered this being a Soldier Fly pupa, but the legs and mandibles rule out that possibility.  We believe this is a Beetle larva.  We will continue to research this identification while having posted it as Unidentified.

Update:  Cesar Crash believes this is a Water Scavenger Beetle larva in the family Hydrophylidae.

Letter 8 – Powderpost Beetle

little bugger
I found this little bugger in my hair this morning after getting out of bed. It moves very slowly and cannot right itself when upside down. It is about 1/4″ long. Any ideas? Hopefully it came in from outside and is alone.
Thanks,
Frank
Kennesaw, GA

Hi Frank,
This sure looks like a Powderpost Beetle. Here is an Ohio State site with much information. Here is a quote from the site: “Powderpost beetles can be found in dead as well as dried and cured lumber. Damage occurs to many wood products such as rafters, joists, flooring, molding, paneling, crating, furniture, antiques, tool handles, gun stocks, fishing poles and baskets.

Sometimes homeowners hear rasping or ticking in the wood at night, notice a blistering appearance on the wood, see powdery frass piled below holes in the wood, find numerous round or oval exit holes at the wood surface, and even collect powderpost beetles around windows or lights. Mistakes are sometimes made determining if the infestation is active or non-active. “

Letter 9 – Probably Beetle Larva

Subject: What is this bug
Location: Monkton MD
August 9, 2016 5:31 pm
Help. Our neighborhood cannot figure out what this bug is
Signature: Curious

Dear Curious,
Your somewhat blurry image reminds us of the classic photo of Nessie.  Our best guess on this is that it is some beetle larva, possibly a Ground Beetle larva as it looks rather similar to a Caterpillar Hunter larva.

Letter 10 – Re: Yellow and Black

Hi….I have for years seen a very strange looking large bug in my yard in California but have not seen it anywhere else in the US. It is roughly 1.5-22 long, yellow with black stripes, super shiny, 3 segments, and the tentacles or arms look so fat it almost looks like it has baby arms. It is by far the most disgusting bug I1ve ever seen.
What is it?
Best Regards,
Kayce

Dear Kayce,
If you hadn’t said you lived in California, I would have immediately thought of the Locust Borer, a large beetle that fits your description. I did a web search, and have noticed that the range is expanding.

Here in Los Angeles, we do have Black Locust Trees, so it is conceivable that the range of the Locust Borer now includes California. Here is additional information as well as a photo. Please let us know if the range of the Locust Borer now includes California. The locust borer, Megacyllene r
obiniae (Forst.), is a native insect. Its original range probably coincided with that of its host tree, the black locust, which once grew only along the Allegheny Mountains from Pennsylvania to Georgia and in the Ozark Mountain region.

Black locust grows readily on poor sites and is used extensively in land-reclamation plantings. Its widespread use to reclaim land damaged by farming and strip mining, its use as a shade tree, and its use in reforestation have dispersed the borer with its host tree over most of the United States.

The borer is now found from eastern Canada south to the Gulf States and west to Washington, Colorado, and Arizona. The borer attacks only black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and its cultivars (horticulturally derived varieties in the genus Robinia); the honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) is not affected.

Letter 11 – Recently my son found this…

Hi. Recently my son found this beautiful bug near our house in Glendale, AZ. I’m attaching a picture. It has a bright red head, and it’s back is yellow with a black pattern dividing it into 4 parts. It’s the first and only time we’ve seen one.
Any idea?
Thanks–
Wes

Dear Wes,
I contacted our sources at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, and he provided the following information.

Thanks for sending the beetle photo. It is in the Blister Beetle family: Meloidae. You can probably look it up on the internet…try under the genus name Lytta. Some of these beetles exude a toxic liquid which can cause blisters on the skin. I’m not sure this one does that.
Hope this helps you!
Take care. Brian Harris Entomology Section
Natural History Museum LA Co.

A web search did not turn up a more exact identification, but there is this site which has a photo of a close relative Lytta magister http://www.solpugid.com/gallery/Gallery3.htm which also has a red head and legs. I do have some interesting background information on the genus however.

A blue-green colored European relative Lytta vesicatoria, is known by the common name Spanish fly: Perhaps the most famous `aphrodisiac’ of folk lore is `Spanish Fly’ made from the dried beetle _Cantharis_ (Lytta) _vesicatoria_, which is widely found in areas of southern Europe. The active ingredient of the prepared insect is cantharidin, and the powdered product contains around 0.6 percent of the substance.

Sometimes a tincture of cantharidin is made, and the fatal d
ose is usually reckoned at 1.5 to 3 grams of the powder, or about 200 millilitres of the tincture. I have not given up entirely on the identification. I will be making a trip to the insect museum in Riverside in the near future. Thanks again for the awesome photo which is currently on my desktop at work.
Have a great day.
Daniel

Editor’s Note: Continued research has identified this little beauty as a member of the Blister Beetle Family known as Soldier Beetles, Tegrodera erosa Lec. or Tegrodera latecincta Horn. “They are 17-30 mm. long; the head red; the prothorax dusky red; the antennae, legs, and remainder of the body shining black; and the elytra golden yellow, reticulated, and with black margi
ns, a black median belt, and black apices.

In the former specioes the black markings of the elytra are very obscure, while on the latter they are strongly pronounced. The beetles ordinarily feed upon the native sage brush, artemisia, and other plants, but frequently invade alfalfa fields and do much damage.” according to Essig in Insects and Mites of Western North America.

Letter 12 – Red Lily Beetles Mating

red lily beetle?
Is this a Red Lily Beetle? I found a ton of them on my lilies this week. If so, what is a good way to stop them from eating my lilies? If not, what is it? Can’t wait to show my daughter you site……….very cool!

These sure are Red Lily Beetles, Lilioceris lilii, and they are mating.

Letter 13 – Rosemary Beetle

Whats This one?
I enclose two pictures of a beetle which we found 4-5 of in a Russian Sage (Perovskia). They were iridescent gold with green stripes. Any Idea what they were? Regards
Thok

Hi Thok,
In addition to Russian Sage, the Rosemary Beetle feeds on its namesake rosemary as well as lavendar, thyme and sage. The beetle, though its scientific name is Chrysolina americana, is native to southern Europe and has extended its range to Britain, but we do not know from where you are writing. Here is a link with more information.

Letter 14 – Rosemary Beetle: Introduced to UK

Rosemary Beetles
Hi Bugman
I emailed you a few days ago regarding the beetles feeding on my rosemary plants, well ive done some research and ive discovered they are Rosemary Beetles ! Apparently they are new to the UK and are the Royal Horticultrual Society’s NO.4 Pest ! they like rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender. They are native to south Europe.

A laboratory culture of the rosemary beetle has been established in the entomology laboratory at Wisley where its life cycle is under investigation. Preliminary results of this research indicate that rosemary beetle adults remain inactive on their host plants during the summer months (June to August).

In late August and September the beetles resume feeding, mate and begin to lay eggs, which they continue to do on warm winter days until spring. The eggs hatch within two weeks and the larvae feed for approximately three weeks before entering the soil to pupate. The pupal stage lasts for a further two to three weeks before adults emerge.More info available at
http://www.rhs.org.uk/research/projects/rosemary_beetle.asp
If you do find these on your plants its best to remove them by hand, since you would most likely would use the herbs they feed off.

Thank you so much for the information, photo and link.

Letter 15 – Sculptured Pine Borer

BEETLE IDENTIFICATION PLEASE
Hi, I’m in Tampa, Florida. I encountered this beetle yesterday while inspecting dead pine trees. He was a friendly bug, about 1.5 inches long and 1⁄2 inch wide. He allowed me to stroke his back and take his picture (he was probably scared to death I would eat him) LOL. Could you identify him for me so I can research him a bit more. I’ve tried searching on the internet for gray and black beetles of Florida, but was unsuccessful.
Lori Moreda, Natural Resources Code Investigator
Tampa, FL

Hi Lori,
What a well camouflaged Buprestid or Metallic Wood Borer Beetle you have there and a wonderful image for Halloween. It is in the genus Chalcophora and is most likely the Sculptured Pine Borer, Chalcophora virginiensis, which can be found on BugGuide.

Letter 16 – Spotted Asparagus Beetle

Asparagus Beetles
Not the greatest picture of asparagus beetles, but they kept dropping off the plants (or moving around to the other side of the plant) whenever the camera got too close for their comfort. I will try again next spring as they’re a persistent pest in my asparagus patch and the opportunities for pictures are many. The spotted asparagus beetles are a bit lazier and easier to photograph.
Nadjia

Hi Nadjia,
The Spotted Asparagus Beetle, Crioceris duidecimpunctata, feeds on the green parts of asparagus. It was accidentally introduced from Europe to Maryland in 1881, and has spread to most of North America. They can completely defoliate asparagus plants.

Letter 17 – Strategus antaeus

Help with an ID please?
I’ve looked at all the pictures on your site, as well and scoured the internet for the last 2 hours, but I am unable to find any photos of beetles that look like the one I’ve attached. I am in Palm Harbor, FL and met this rather buly bugger which I instantly named “Whole COW that’s a big Beetle” If you can tell me the name of it, I would be so happy! I’m a huge research freak and it drive me crazy when I can’t find what I’m looking for HA HA
Thank you in advance,
Heather

Hi Heather,
After consulting with Eric Eaton, I’ve got a name for you, Strategus antaeus, but not much information. This is one of the larger native scarabs. Eric says: “Yes, this image is definitely Strategus, probably a “minor” male without well-developed horns.”

Letter 18 – Strategus antaeus

beetle ?
Hello there – found your website while looking for the beetle a friend found – I have searched all over and I am unable to get an exact name for it – could you please help me – thanks – I have a couple of photos to help with the identity
Gary

Hi Gary,
Nice photo of a male Strategus antaeus, one of the Scarab Beetles.

Letter 19 – The other day i saw this bug…

The other day i saw this bug ,it was one that no one there ever saw before.It was a bettle or bug not sure.About 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. It had shell back with wings it look like underneath.It was a shiny blue with a orange strip across its back. It also had two antannas which look like small cone shapes pieces,one fitting into one another making up the antannas.It would be great if you could tell me what it is or where to find more on this bug.And a picture would be great to see if we will talking about the same bug.

Thanks, Kerwin
Dear Kerwin,
It sounds just like an Elder Borer. The elder borer, Desmocerus palliatus, is a striking,
bluish-purple beetle with a yellow band across the front part of its wing covers. Its head is
quite small compared to the body, having antennae which are 1/2-2/3 of the total body length
(2 cm or larger). These beetles infest all types of elder, Sa
mbucus spp., causing galls at the
base of the stem, tunnelling in and weakening of the canes, or outright death of the plants.
See if this image looks correct.

Letter 20 – There has been a visitor…

Hi bug man! There has been a visitor on our screen at night that I think may be a beetle. It has 6 legs, very long antennae, a triangle shaped head, dark hard back, furry chest underneath, flies, and is 2 inches long without the antennae. It does not have the “furry” legs that cockroaches appear to have. It also made hissing noises. I’ve been trying to identify it online, without success. Any ideas? Is it dangerous? Thank you for your help!
Jennifer
California
Dear Jennifer,
It might be a California Prionus, a large beetle often attracted to lights at night. Not dangerous. Here is a photo sent in by a reader. Ranger D (see below) has also reported sounds.

Thank you!!!

Letter 21 – Thylodrias contractus

We live in Columbia, SC. The first picture is a beetle type bug I found crawling on the bottom of our entertainment center in our living room tonight. What is this bug?

The other pic is of a little tiny guy I found on our kitchen floor. It reminds me of a baby rollie pollie. It’s real tiny. It’s tan in color and looks like it has little hairs all over it’s little body and it does have some little legs underneath. It’s real weird though because, especially if it’s turned upside down or on it’s side, it bends it’s back backwards almost in half a lot. What’s this bug?

We keep our house so clean, so these little bugs I am finding are driving me crazy because I don’t know where they are coming from and why they’re in the house!
Help Bugman! I found 2 different bugs in our house in one night! I can’t stand it! Yikes!
Thanks
Seriously Curious

Hi again Bugman,
This is a picture of a little tiny bug I had found in our kitchen last night on the floor that I emailed you about earlier this morning. We live in Columbia, SC.

I noticed when looking at this little guy closer under a magnifying glass that he only has 3 pairs of legs (6 legs). He’s got such fuzzy little hairs all over him that we thought he had more legs than that.

The bottom end of it’s body is darker than the rest of it’s body and it does not have any legs in that area. It has a segmented body and when it’s crawling it’s body moves in an accordion style.Hope this helps you more with this little guy. What’s this bug?
Thanks Bugman!
Seriously Curious

Dear Seriously Curious,
My better guess on the grub is a pantry or larder beetle, a Dermestid, which infests stored food, hence its appearance in the kitchen. I would put my money on Thylodrias contractus. You have an adult specimen as well as the larval form.

Letter 22 – Thylodrias contractus

We live in Columbia, SC. The first picture is a beetle type bug I found crawling on the bottom of our entertainment center in our living room tonight. What is this bug?
The other pic is of a little tiny guy I found on our kitchen floor. It reminds me of a baby rollie pollie. It’s real tiny. It’s tan in color and looks like it has little hairs all over it’s little body and it does have some little legs underneath. It’s real weird though because, especially if it’s turned upside down or on it’s side, it bends it’s back backwards almost in half a lot. What’s this bug?

We keep our house so clean, so these little bugs I am finding are driving me crazy because I don’t know where they are coming from and why they’re in the house!
Help Bugman! I found 2 different bugs in our house in one night! I can’t stand it! Yikes!
Thanks
Seriously Curious

Hi again Bugman,
This is a picture of a little tiny bug I had found in our kitchen last night on the floor that I emailed you about earlier this morning. We live in Columbia, SC.I noticed when looking at this little guy closer under a magnifying glass that he only has 3 pairs of legs (6 legs). He’s got such fuzzy little hairs all over him that we thought he had more legs than that.

The bottom end of it’s body is darker than the rest of it’s body and it does not have any legs in that area. It has a segmented body and when it’s crawling it’s body moves in an accordion style.Hope this helps you more with this little guy. What’s this bug?
Thanks Bugman!
Seriously Curious

Dear Seriously Curious,
My better guess on the grub is a pantry or larder beetle, a Dermestid, which infests stored food, hence its appearance in the kitchen. I would put my money on Thylodrias contractus. You have an adult specimen as well as the larval form.

Letter 23 – Toy Beetle found in the UK

Subject: Green and black beetle
Location: Lincolnshire UK
August 29, 2016 7:59 am
We found this 4″ specimen (unfortunately dead) under a stone near a small lake in the East Midland part of the U.K. Unlike anything we have ever seen before in this country and much bigger. I have searched the Internet but cannot find what this monster is called!
Signature: Don’t mind

Dear Don’t Mind,
Try though we might, we were unable to find a rubber or plastic beetle that exactly resembled your discovery, though we did find many lifelike looking insect toys online.  We were much luckier with this Giant Cave “Spider” found in Austin Texas by a group of partiers.  Just out of curiosity, have the Brits switched from metric to inches in measurement?

Hi Daniel
Thanks for your great reply (it made me laugh).   I managed to find a UK WEBSITE and they asked if I had checked whether or not it was plastic too!  On closer inspection of the photo it became quite clear that it was plastic.  Sorry for wasting time.  But thanks from over the pond!  And no we are still metric, although I sometimes tend to be ‘old school’!
Regards
Steve Twigg

Hi Steve,
It was not a waste of time.  We really did search for quite some time to attempt locating your exact toy beetle online.  We love amusing postings like your submission.

Letter 24 – Trachyderes mandibularis

is this Thasus neocalifornicus?
It does not quite fit…
Greg

Hi Greg,
We didn’t recognize your Cerambycid or Long Horned Borer species, so we did what we always do when in doubt. We contacted Eric Eaton and here is his reply: “Gorgeous beetle! Wish I could find them here in Tucson where they are supposed to be found:-)

It has no common name, but is called Trachyderes mandibularis (old books and references refer to it as Dendrobias mandibularis). There was a great article in Natural History Magazine a couple decades back, by John Alcock, that documented the battles of the males, which have long jaws. I think the story was reprinted in Alcock’s book, Sonoran Desert Summer. A good read, by the way. Eric “

Letter 25 – Unidentified Beetle Larva

What is it?
I new one for me….a beetle larvae?

We can’t identify your beetle larva more specifically, but one of our beetle experts will probably eventually write in with something more concrete.

Letter 26 – Unknown Beetle from Australia

Subject:  Mystery Beetle in Australia
Geographic location of the bug:  Australia
Date: 12/06/2017
Time: 04:50 PM EDT
Hi!
I am a highschool senior who is very fascinated by insects. I plan to study entomology in graduate school. So, naturally all of the members of my family send ME bug questions and want bugs identified. I usually can do well on my own, but the latest bug has me stumped.

My uncle’s friend took the picture attached. Unfortunately, the beetle is facing away. They said it was the size of a quarter. Locals called it a “Christmas Beetle”, but I don’t think that is true because Christmas beetles (like  Anoplognathus) don’t have the pointed abdomen and long antennae pictured.

If you need more specific geography, I can probably get more details from my uncle, so just ask. Hope you can help!
How you want your letter signed:  Confused Nephew

Dear Confused Nephew,
Can you please ask your uncle if there are any images showing the front of this unusual beetle.  Our best guess at this time is that this might be a Pleasing Fungus Beetle in the family Erotylidae, and we are basing that on its shape and the antennae. 

The humpback is a characteristic shared with other Pleasing Fungus Beetles from North and South America.  The golden green, metallic coloration of your individual is beautiful. 

This is NOT a Christmas Beetle, members of the Scarab Beetle family.  Our second guess is that it might be a Darkling Beetle in the family Tenebrionidae or a Ground Beetle in the family Carabidae.  Perhaps one of our astute readers will be able to assist in this identification.  More specific geography might help.

Thanks for the response! I am in the process of getting more information from him right now. I am so glad that I was right about it not being a Christmas beetle. I hope we can figure this out!

Update:  December 9, 2017
Cesar Crash led us to this eBay posting that has an obviously misidentified family, but Cesar believed the genus might be correct because of this South American posting on Coleoptera Neotropical and a noting that the family is Chalcodryidae. 

The Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand indicates that is a new family designation, and if members of the family are found in New Zealand, there is a good chance there are members in Australia.  iNaturalist has some images of family members in New Zealand, and Wikipedia indicates the family is classified in the superfamily Tenebrionoidea.

Letter 27 – Unknown Beetle Larva

Dear Seth,
Many larval forms of insects are not well documented.  This appears to us to be a Beetle larva.  Perhaps one of our readers will recognize it and write to us.

Letter 28 – Unknown Larva from Tanzania

Subject:  Coleoptera larva?
Geographic location of the bug:  Serengeti in Tanzania
Date: 11/30/2017
Time: 02:58 PM EDT
Hi!
I’m not sure but possibly it’s a coleopteran larva. I’ve been searching by Internet but it’s been impossible to find any larva like this one.
Can you help me?
It was in may 2016.
Thanks!
How you want your letter signed:  Ferran Lizana

Dear Ferran,
Except for butterflies and moths, there is often not much documentation available on immature insects.  We agree this is probably a beetle larva.  We are posting the image and perhaps our readers will want to take a stab at this identification.

Letter 29 – Unknown Speck in the Linens is Dermestid Larva

Tubular, Hairy, spiked, 4?legs w/a pair of horns
Sun, May 31, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Found in the morning on linens as a speck
Curious In Missouri
West Central Missouri

Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 7:00 AM
Dear Bugman, Thank you for your WTB site it is very interesting and informative. I was wondering , I’ve sent in a photo on May 31, 2009 to see about getting the identification of the bug/insect. How do I get your answer ?
I wasn’t for sure if the was a special site to go to or do you send out the info. out in an E-mail ?
Thank You, Curious in Missouri

Dear Susan, AKA Curious in Missouri,
After our previous response that we cannot answer the volume of mail that we receive, and that we were unable to trace your initial inquiry by the name you provided, we checked and saw a letter signed Curious in Missouri.

We are posting your images in the hope that one of our readers can assist in this identification, but we ourselves are clueless. It appears to be larval, but if it was a speck, it is entirely possible that it will change form drastically as it grows and matures.

We must say that we are impressed that you inspected this speck from your linens using photo-microscopy, and we shudder to think what you might find should you happen to closely study our home and office. Also to further elaborate on your question about our responses, we are now just posting to the website with a courtesy email to the querant.

We used to answer more letters via email than we posted, but our tired old computer has gotten very slow, and we cannot take the time to answer letters we do not post. We hope to buy a new computer with our book advance, and then we anticipate greater speed and efficiency with our correspondence.

Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Daniel:
With profusion of body hairs, banded appearance and the pair of spines or ‘horns’ on the hind end, this looks like the larva of some kind of Dermestidae beetle (carpet beetles, larder beetles ,hide beetles , skin beetles, etc.), possibly in the genus Dermestes (e.g., D. lardarius , the common larder beetle) . Since it was described as a speck, it may have been a very young one as you suggest. Regards.
Karl

Letter 30 – Virginia Pine Borer or Sculptured Pine Borer

What kind of bug is this?
Hello Bugman,
My 9 year old daughter, Chandler, desperately want’s to know what kind of bug this is. She said she thinks it is a beetle, however, we are unable to locate it on the Web. She found it at a park in Jacksonville, FL. Please help, you will make a little “BUGOLOGIST” very happy.
Thank you,
Christine

Hi Christine,
We believe Chandler found a Virginia Pine Borer or Sculptured Pine Borer, Chalcophora virginiensis, one of the Buprestid Beetles, which attacks pine trees in the larval form and ranges from Canada to northern Florida.