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Beetles in the family Elateridae are
commonly called click beetles, elaters, skipjack,
snapping, or spring beetles. They posess a mechanism by
which they can violently launch temselves several inches
into the air, by which method they can avoid predators
and right themselves if they happen to fall on their
backs. A spine on the prosternum can be snapped into a
corresponding notch on the mesosternum, producing a
violent "click" which can bounce the beetle into the
air. There are about 7000 known species.
Click
beetles can be large and colorful, but most are small to
medium-sized and dull brown or gray. The adults are
typically nocturnal and phytophagous. Like many
nocturnal insects, they are attracted by artificial
lights, and in hot weather, they are prone to enter
houses at night if doors or windows are left open. The
larvae of a few species, called wireworms, can be
serious agricultural pests of corn and other cereal
grains. |
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