Minnesota Beetles
Order Coleoptera |
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Coleoptera (beetles) is the order of insects that is characterized by having a biting mouth and two pairs of wings, the outer pair being hardened and meeting in a straight line down the back. Coleoptera is the largest order in the animal kingdom. There are about 400,000 described species worldwide, about 24,000 species in 131 families in North America north of Mexico. The total number of species, described and undescribed, is probably close to 1,000,000. It is likely that Coleoptera will be split into two or more orders in the future. |
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Recent Additions |
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Reddish-brown stag beetle |
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Reddish-brown stag beetle (Lucanus capreolus) is relatively large beetle. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains and in adjacent Canadian provinces. It is found around decaying logs and stumps in deciduous forests, parks, and neighborhoods with trees. Larvae feed on decaying wood, adults feed on tree sap. The name “stag beetle” refers to the oversized mandibles on some males that resemble deer antlers. Another common name for this beetle is pinching bug. The mandibles look fierce and are used to fight other males over a female. When confronted, it will rear back threateningly with its mandibles open. However, when handled by humans, it can give no more than a mild pinch. Adults are reddish-brown and up to 1½″ long, not including the mandibles. The antennae have 10 segments, are abruptly bent, and are expanded (clubbed) at the tip. The body appears smooth but is densely covered with very fine punctures. The third and largest segment of each leg is distinctly pale. |
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| Photo by Plannine | ||||
Sunflower tortoise beetle |
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Sunflower tortoise beetle (Physonota helianthi) is a small leaf beetle. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains and in adjacent Canadian provinces. It is uncommon throughout its range. There are three color phases that each adult undergoes. The teneral adult, freshly emerged from the pupal stage, is soft bodied and dingy white or ivory. The intermediate adult is black and white with numerous spots. This phase lasts about three weeks. The mature adult is entirely iridescent green. The upper thoracic plate and the two hardened wing covers each have a semi-transparent covering over the entire surface. Both larvae and adults feed on the underside of leaves. They occasionally defoliate the plant and can be a major pest. Larvae carry dried fecal matter over their body, presumably as a form of camouflage. The fecal matter is attached to a forked appendage on the last abdominal segment, and is held suspended over the body. |
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Cocklebur weevil |
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Cocklebur weevil (Rhodobaenus quinquepunctatus) is a medium-sized snout beetle. It is widespread in the eastern half of the United States. Adults eat the stalks and leaves of cocklebur, ragweed, thistle, ironweed, Joe Pye weed, sunflower, marsh elder, and rosinweed. Larvae bore into the stems and roots of the same species. It is easily controlled and does not occur in numbers high enough to become an agricultural pest. Snout beetles are identified by their very long snout. Cocklebur weevil is identified by the reddish-orange body; the oval-shaped black spot in the middle of the thorax; and ten black spots on the wing covers that usually merge to some extent with neighboring spots, especially toward the rear. |
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| Photo by Alfredo Colon | ||||
Rhubarb weevil |
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Rhubarb weevil (Lixus concavus) is a large, easily identified, true weevil. It is common from New Hampshire, south to North Carolina, and west to Utah. It is uncommon in the upper Midwest, including Minnesota. At up to ⅝″ in length and 3 ⁄16″ in width, it is one of the largest snout beetles in the United States. Rhubarb weevil adults are active from mid-May to September. They are found on stalks and leaves of thistles, sunflowers, docks, and rhubarb. They are one of only two weevil species that attack rhubarb. They can be a pest to crops of these plants but they are easily controlled. Snout beetles are easily identified by their long, flattened or cylindrical snout that is at least as long as the pronotum. Rhubarb weevil is easily identified by the bright yellowish bloom on the head, pronotum, and wing covers. |
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| Photo by Alfredo Colon | ||||
Colorado potato beetle |
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Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is relatively small for a beetle but relatively large for a leaf beetle. Adults are ¼″ to 7 ⁄16″ long and about ⅛″ wide. The body is oval when viewed from above and dome-shaped when viewed from the side. The wing covers are pale yellow with five black lines on each side. The are no similar species in Minnesota. Prior to European settlement, the Colorado potato beetle was found only in Colorado and neighboring states. The potato was introduced into North America in the 1600s and began to be widely grown in the early 1700s. By 1840 the potato reached the insects home range. By 1859 the insect had switched to the potato as its preferred host, and by 1874 it had spread all the way to the east coast. It is now present across North America, Europe, and Asia. Colorado potato beetle is a serious crop pest to potato growers. The insect rapidly evolves resistance to chemical pesticides. Many insecticides that once successfully controlled the beetle are no longer effective. |
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| Photo by Alfredo Colon | ||||
Other Recent Additions |
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eye-spotted tumbling flower beetle (Glipa oculata) bluish borer (Agrilus cyanescens) pigweed flea beetle (Disonycha glabrata) tomentose burying beetle (Nicrophorus tomentosus) Bruner’s earth-boring scarab beetle (Bolbocerosoma bruneri) yellow-horned flower longhorn beetle (Strangalia luteicornis) |
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| Photo by Babette Kis | ||||
This list includes only beetles that have been recorded in Minnesota, but not all of the beetles found in Minnesota. |
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Acalymma vittatum (striped cucumber beetle) Acilius semisulcatus (woods predaceous diving beetle) Agrilus acutipennis (spotworm borer) Agrilus anxius (bronze birch borer) Agrilus arcuatus (bowed borer) Agrilus bilineatus (two-lined chestnut borer) Agrilus celti (hackberry borer) Agrilus cephalicus (dogwood agrilus) Agrilus cratagei (hawthorn agrilus) Agrilus crinicornis (blue-headed borer) Agrilus cuprescens (rose stem girdler) Agrilus cyanescens (bluish borer) Agrilus egenus (lacking borer) Agrilus frosti (Frost’s borer) Agrilus geminatus (twinned borer) Agrilus granulatus (granulate poplar borer) Agrilus imbellis (peacegul borer) Agrilus junglandis (butternut agrilus) Agrilus liragus (bronze poplar borer) Agrilus masculinus (maple agrilus) Agrilus obsoletoguttatus (beech borer) Agrilus osburni (Osburn’s borer) Agrilus otiosus (hickory agrilus) Agrilus paraimpexus (metallic wood-boring beetle) Agrilus parvus (small borer) Agrilus pensus (alder borer) Agrilus planipennis (emerald ash borer) Agrilus politus (willow gall limb borer) Agrilus putillus (bronze borer) Agrilus quadriguttatus (metallic wood-boring beetle) Agrilus ruficollis (red-necked cane borer) Agrilus spp. (metallic wood-boring beetle) Agrilus transimpressus (metallic wood-boring beetle) Agrilus vittaticollis (hawthorn root borer) Agriotes spp. (click beetles) Agroiconota bivittata (tortoise beetle) Alaus oculatus (eastern eyed click beetle) Altica aeneola (metallic flea beetle) Altica bimarginata (metallic flea beetle) Altica chalybea (grape flea beetle) Altica ignita (metallic flea beetle) Altica knabii (metallic flea beetle) Altica spp. (metallic flea beetle) Amara lunicollis (moon-collared harp ground beetle) Analeptura lineola (flower longhorn beetle) Anatis labiculata (fifteen-spotted lady beetle) Anatis mali (eye-spotted lady beetle) Anatis spp. (giant lady beetles) Ancyronyx variegatus (variegated tiffle beetle) Anelaphus parallelus (oak twig pruner) Anelaphus villosus (twig pruner) Anomoea laticlavia (clay-colored leaf beetle) Aphodius distinctus (maculated dung beetle) Atalantycha bilineata (two-lined leatherwing) Atalantycha dentigera (soldier beetle) Atalantycha neglecta (soldier beetle) Attagenus unicolor (black carpet beetle) Belonuchus formosus (large rove beetle) Belonuchus rufipennis (large rove beetle) Blepharida rhois (sumac flea beetle) Bolbocerosoma bruneri (Bruner’s earth-boring scarab beetle) Bolbocerosoma farctum (fancy dung beetle) Brachiacantha ursina (ursine spurleg lady beetle) Brachyacantha albifrons (white-fronted lady beetle) Brachyacantha dentipes (spurleg lady beetle) Brachyacantha felina (spurleg lady beetle) Brachysomida bivittata (flower longhorn beetle) Brachysomida nigripennis (black-winged long-horned beetle) Byturus unicolor (raspberry fruitworm beetle) Calligrapha multipunctata (common willow calligrapha) Calligrapha scalaris (elm calligrapha) Calopteron terminale (end band net-winged beetle) Cantharis flavipes (soldier beetle) Cantharis impressus (soldier beetle) Cantharis nigriceps (soldier beetle) Cantharis rotundicollis (soldier beetle) Canthon laevis (tumblebug) Canthon nigricornis (tumblebug) Canthon viridis (tumblebug) Cassida rubiginosa (thistle tortoise beetle) Cerotoma trifurcata (bean leaf beetle) Ceutorhynchus neglectus (minute seed weevil) Ceutorhynchus pusio (minute seed weevil) Ceutorhynchus rapae (cabbage curculio) Ceutorhynchus spp. (minute seed weevil) Ceutorhynchus squamatus (minute seed weevil) Ceutorhynchus typhae (minute seed weevil) Ceutorhynchus zimmermanni (minute seed weevil) Charidotella sexpunctata bicolor (golden tortoise beetle) Chariessa pilosa (pilose checkered beetle) Charisalia americana (flower longhorn beetle) Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (goldenrod soldier beetle) Chilocorus stigma (twice-stabbed lady beetle) Chlaenius sericeus (vivid metallic ground beetle) Chrysobothris femorata (flat-headed apple tree borer) Chrysochus auratus (dogbane beetle) Cicindela denikei (Laurentian tiger beetle) Cicindela duodecimguttata (twelve-spotted tiger beetle) Cicindela formosa (big sand tiger beetle) Cicindela fulgida fulgida (crimson saltflat tiger beetle) Cicindela fulgida westbournei (crimson saltflat tiger beetle) Cicindela hirticollis rhodensis (hairy-necked tiger beetle) Cicindela lepida (little white tiger beetle) Cicindela limbalis (common claybank tiger beetle) Cicindela limbata nympha (sandy tiger beetle) Cicindela longilabris (boreal long-lipped tiger beetle) Cicindela macra macra (sandy stream tiger beetle) Cicindela patruela patruela (northern barrens tiger beetle) Cicindela punctulata (punctured tiger beetle) Cicindela purpurea (purple tiger beetle) Cicindela repanda (bronzed tiger beetle) Cicindela scutellaris (festive tiger beetle) Cicindela sexguttata (six-spotted tiger beetle) Cicindela splendida cyanocephalata (splendid tiger beetle) Cicindela tranquebarica (oblique-lined tiger beetle) Clytus ruricola (round-necked longhorn beetle) Coccinella novemnotata (nine-spotted lady beetle) Coccinella septempunctata (seven-spotted lady beetle) Coccinellidae (lady beetles) Coleomegilla maculata (spotted pink lady beetle) Cotinis nitida (green june beetle) Cybister fimbriolatus (fringed diving beetle) Cycloneda munda (polished lady beetle) Cyrtophorus verrucosus (ant-like longhorn beetle) Deloyala guttata (mottled tortoise beetle) Dendroides canadensis (Canada fire-colored beetle) Denticollis denticornis (toothed click beetle) Dermestidae (carpet beetles) Desmopachria convexa (convex predaceous diving beetle) Diabrotica barberi (northern corn rootworm beetle) Diabrotica cristata (black diabrotica) Diabrotica undecimpunctata (spotted cucumber beetle) Disonycha fumata (flea beetle) Disonycha glabrata (pigweed flea beetle) Disonycha latifrons (broad-foreheaded flea beetle) Disonycha pensylvanica (Pennsylvania flea beetle) Disonycha triangularis (three-spotted flea beetle) Disonycha uniguttata (single-spotted flea beetle) Disonycha xanthomelas (spinach flea beetle) Ditemnus latilobus (lateral-lobed soldier beetle) Dytiscus fasciventris (understriped diving beetle) Dytiscus harrisii (Harris’s diving beetle) Dytiscus spp. (predaceous diving beetle) Dytiscus verticalis (vertical diving beetle) Eburia quadrigeminata (ivory-marked borer beetle) Ellychnia corrusca (winter firefly) Enochrus cinctus (ochre eastern water scavenger) Enochrus cinctus (water scavenger beetle) Enochrus perplexus (water scavenger beetle) Enoclerus rosmarus (reddish checkered beetle) Epicauta pennsylvanica (black blister beetle) Epicauta spp. (burning blister beetle) Epitrix cucumeris (potato flea beetle) Eucnemidae (false click beetles) Gaurotes cyanipennis (cyan long-horned beetle) Geotrupes splendidus (splendid earth-boring beetle) Glipa oculata (eye-spotted tumbling flower beetle) Grammoptera spp. (flower longhorn beetle) Grammoptera subargentata (silver flower longhorn beetle) Graphoderus fascicollis (stripe-necked predaceous diving beetle) Graphoderus liberus (free predaceous diving beetle) Graphoderus occidentalis (occidental predaceous diving beetle) Graphoderus perplexus (complex predaceous diving beetle) Gratiana pallidula (eggplant tortoise beetle) Harmonia axyridis (multicolored Asian lady beetle) Harpalus pensylvanicus (Pennsylvania dingy ground beetle) Helocassis clavata (clavate tortoise beetle) Hippodamia convergens (convergent lady beetle) Hippodamia parenthesis (Parenthesis Lady Beetle) Hippodamia tredecimpunctata (thirteen-spotted lady beetle) Hippodamia variegata (variegated lady beetle) Homorosoma sulcipenne (minute seed weevil) Hydaticus aruspex (haruspex predaceous diving beetle) Hydaticus piceus (pitch-colored predaceous diving beetle) Hydrobius fuscipes (swampy water scavenger) Hydrochara obtusata (weedy pond scavenger) Hydroporus oblitus (predaceous diving beetle) Hyperaspis bigeminata (bigeminy lady beetle) Hyperaspis binotata (sigil lady beetle) Hyperaspis disconotata (disk-marked lady beetle) Hyperaspis fimbriolata (sigil lady beetle) Hyperaspis inflexa (curved lady beetle) Hyperaspis lugubris (lugubrius lady beetle) Hyperaspis octavia (Octavia lady beetle) Hyperaspis proba (esteemed lady beetle) Hyperaspis signata (sigil lady beetle) Hyperaspis undulata (undulate lady beetle) Jonthonota nigripes (blacklegged tortoise beetle) Labidomera clivicollis (swamp milkweed leaf beetle) Larinus carlinae (Canada thistle bud weevil) Lebia ornata (ornate harp ground beetle) Lebia viridis (flower lebia beetle) Lema daturaphila (three-lined potato beetle) Lema trivittata (three-lined lema beetle) Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Colorado potato beetle) Lepturobosca chrysocoma (yellow velvet beetle) Lepyrus palustris (Poplar’s snout weevil) Liodessus flavicollis (yellow-necked predaceous diving beetle) Lixus concavus (rhubarb weevil) Lixus mucidus (dock curculio) Lucanus capreolus (reddish-brown stag beetle) Lucanus placidus (smooth stag beetle) Lytta sayi (Say blister beetle) Macronychus glabratus (riffle beetle) Macrosiagon dimidiatum (wedge-shaped beetle) Macrosiagon flavipennis (wedge-shaped beetle) Macrosiagon limbata (wedge-shaped beetle) Madarellus undulatus (flower weevil) Malthodes concavus (soldier beetle) Megacyllene robiniae (locust borer) Melanotus spp. (click beetles) Merhynchites bicolor (rose curculio) Microrhagus triangularis (triangular false click beetle) Microrhopala excavata (hispine leaf beetle) Microrhopala excavata cyanea (hispine leaf beetle) Microrhopala rubrolineata (hispine leaf beetle) Microrhopala vittata (goldenrod leaf miner beetle) Microrhopala xerene (hispine leaf beetle) Monochamus scutellatus scutellatus (white-spotted sawyer) Mordella atrata (tumbling mourner) Mordellina pustulata (blistered tumbling flower beetle) Nanophyes marmoratus (flower bud weevil) Nemognatha spp. (blister beetle) Neoclytus acuminatus (red-headed ash borer) Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (longhorned beetle) Neofidia lurida (grape rootworm) Nicrophorus marginatus (margined burying beetle) Nicrophorus orbicollis (roundneck sexton beetle) Nicrophorus tomentosus (tomentose burying beetle) Oberea ocellata (sumac stem borer) Oberea tripunctata (dogwood twig borer) Oiceoptoma inaequale (ridged carrion beetle) Oiceoptoma noveboracense (margined carrion beetle) Ontholestes cingulatus (gold-and-brown rove beetle) Onthophagus hecate (scooped scarab) Ophraella communa (ragweed leaf beetle) Ophraella conferta (crowded flea beetle) Osmoderma eremicola (hermit flower beetle) Osmoderma scabra (rough hermit beetle) Oulema collaris (leaf beetle) Paria fragariae (strawberry rootworm) Pasimachus elongatus (blue-margined ground beetle) Photinus pyralis (common eastern firefly) Photuris pensylvanica (Pennsylvania firefly) Photuris spp. (firefly) Phyllobius oblongus (brown leaf weevil) Phymatodes testaceus (tanbark borer) Physonota helianthi (sunflower tortoise beetle) Physonota unipunctata (horsemint tortoise beetle) Podabrus diadema (soldier beetle) Podabrus flavicollis (yellow-necked soldier beetle) Podabrus frater (soldier beetle) Podabrus laevicollis (soldier beetle) Podabrus nothoides (soldier beetle) Podabrus piniphalus (soldier beetle) Podabrus puberulus (soldier beetle) Podabrus puncticollis (soldier beetle) Podabrus punctulatus (soldier beetle) Podabrus rugosulus (wrinkled soldier beetle) Podabrus tomentosus (downy leatherwing) Podabrus tricostatus (soldier beetle) Polemius canadensis (soldier beetle) Polemius laticornis (soldier beetle) Polemius limbatus (soldier beetle) Polydrusus formosus (green immigrant leaf weevil) Popillia japonica (Japanese beetle) Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (fourteen-spotted lady beetle) Psylliodes affinis (potato flea beetle) Psyrassa unicolor (branch pruner beetle) Pyractomena angulata (Say’s firefly) Pyractomena borealis (spring tree-top flasher) Pyractomena linearis (firefly) Pyractomena lucifera (firefly) Pyractomena sinuata (firefly) Pyrrhalta viburni (viburnum leaf beetle) Rhabdopterus spp. (oval leaf beetle) Rhagonycha campestris (soldier beetle) Rhagonycha excavata (soldier beetle) Rhagonycha fraxini (soldier beetle) Rhagonycha luteicollis (soldier beetle) Rhagonycha oriflava (gold-mouthed soldier beetle) Rhagonycha recta (soldier beetle) Rhagonycha septentrionalis (soldier beetle) Rhagonycha spp. (soldier beetles) Rhagonycha tantilla (soldier beetle) Rhagonycha vilis (soldier beetle) Rhagonycha walshi (soldier beetle) Rhantus sericans (satiny swimming beetle) Rhantus sinuatus (signed swimming beetle) Rhantus wallisi (Wallis’ swimming beetle) Rhaxonycha bilobata (soldier beetle) Rhaxonycha carolina (Carolina cantharid) Rhodobaenus quinquepunctatus (cocklebur weevil) Rhodobaenus tredecimpunctatus (ironweed curculio) Rhyssomatus lineaticollis (milkweed stem weevil) Ripiphorus spp. (wedge-shaped beetle) Saperda tridentata (elm borer) Scarites quadriceps (pedunculate ground beetle) Scolytus quadrispinosus (hickory bark beetle) Scymnus kansanus (Kansas lady beetle) Silis difficilis (hardy soldier beetle) Silis percomis (soldier beetle) Strangalia famelica solitaria (slender flower longhorn beetle) Strangalia luteicornis (yellow-horned flower longhorn beetle) Strigoderma arbicola (false Japanese beetle) Sumitrosis inaequalis (unequal tortoise beetle) Sumitrosis rosea (hispine leaf beetle) Systena frontalis (red-headed flea beetle) Tetraopes femoratus (red-femured milkweed borer) Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (red milkweed beetle) Trichiotinus assimilis (bee-mimic beetle) Trichiotinus piger (hairy flower scarab) Trichodes nutalli (red-blue checkered beetle) Trigonarthris minnesotana (Minnesota longhorn beetle) Trigonarthris proxima (flower longhorn beetle) Triplax thoracica (pleasing fungus beetle) Trirhabda canadensis (goldenrod leaf beetle) Tropisternus lateralis nimbatus (water scavenger beetle) Tropisternus spp. (water scavenger beetle) Trypherus frisoni (soldier beetle) Typocerus deceptus (flower longhorn beetle) Xylotrechus colonus (rustic borer) 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_06.jpg "blister beetle (Nemognatha sp.)")
_01.jpg "click beetle (Family Elateridae)")
_01.jpg "dung beetle (Scarabaeinae)")
_01.jpg "flower longhorn beetle (Analeptura lineola)")
_01.jpg "flower longhorn beetle (Brachysomida bivittata)")
_01.jpg "flower longhorn beetle (Charisalia americana)")
_01.jpg "flower longhorn beetle (Grammoptera)")
_01.jpg "hispine leaf beetle (Microrhopala xerene)")
_01.jpg "large rove beetle (Belonuchus rufipennis)")
_01.jpg "metallic flea beetle (Altica sp.)")
_01.jpg "soldier beetle (Trypherus frisoni)")
_01.jpg "tortoise beetle (Tribe Cassidini)")
_01.jpg "weevil (Lixus terminalis)")
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Capitalization of Common Names
Insect scientific names are governed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). Vernacular (common) names are not. In an attempt to “assure the uniformity of (common) names of common insects” the Entomological Society of America (ESA) published Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms. ESA has no rule or guideline that addresses capitalization of common names. However, the database of common names published by ESA does not capitalize common names. Most other sources, including ITIS, BAMONA, Odonata Central, and the Peterson Field Guides, capitalize common insect names. MinnesotaSeasons.com will adhere to the convention followed by ESA.
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