Eastern Eyed Click Beetle

Alaus oculatus

The two enormous 'eyes' on its back are actually false eyespots designed to terrify predators; its real eyes are tiny and located on its head.

Scientific name: Alaus oculatus
Taxonomy: Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Elateridae › Alaus
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Population trend: stable
Biome: forest
Habitat: Deciduous forests, orchards, and woodlands with abundant decaying hardwood logs.
Diet: Larvae are predatory, eating wood-boring beetle grubs. Adults consume nectar, plant sap, and sweet juices.
Range: Eastern North America, Central America
Size: 2.5 to 4.5 cm (1 to 1.75 inches)
Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
Active: nocturnal
Threats: Deforestation and the overly tidy removal of dead, decaying logs which are crucial for larval development.
Safe to approach?: Harmless to humans. They do not bite or sting. If handled gently, they may perform their signature 'click' flip to escape your hand, which is harmless but startling. Observe them closely to admire their false eyespots.

Alaus oculatus , commonly called the eastern eyed click beetle or eyed elater , is a species of click beetle.

Photo: Katja Schulz, CC-BY, via iNaturalist