Bug Slides.
← All creatures
NO. 017Eastern eyed click beetle illustrationIllustration · not shown at life size

Beetles / Insect

Eastern eyed click beetle

Alaus oculatus

AdultA special find

Those giant eyes are not eyes at all! They are spots on the shield behind this beetle’s head.

Let’s look closer

Little clues

Three things to notice.

  1. Two large false eyespots.

  2. Black body speckled with white.

  3. Clicks to flip itself upright.

Out in the world

Where to look.

Around southeastern Wisconsin

Woodland and dead wood.

When to look

Often at night, when click beetles may come to lights.

Look closely. Leave your tiny neighbor where you found it.

A closer look

One clue is just the start.

The big spots are behind the head. Its real eyes are much smaller. Watch without flipping the beetle over.

A special find can be hard to spot without being biologically rare. Encounters depend on season and habitat.

Keep exploring

Meet the neighbors.

For curious grownups, too

Read a little further.

Original summaries, with references for deeper reading.