Elateridae
38 genera, 73 spp. Very characteristic beetles, hard bodied and elongate, generally sombre insects although there are notable exceptions e.g. Corymbites and Ampedus. Head usually sunk deeply into thorax (but see Denticollis), labrum obvious; projects forward over mandibles (cf Eucnemidae). Antennae serrate, pectinate, or filiform, never clubbed (cf Throscidae), inserted close to eyes and almost completely fitting into grooves on the underside, in Agrypninae entirely so. Sometimes sexually dimorphic. Tarsi five jointed and usually simple although sometimes weakly bilobed. Thorax quadrate or elongate, narrow in front and produced at hind angles (cf.Buprestidae). Pro and meso thorax articulated. Prosternal process strongly produced backward and broadened behind, this can be forced into a mesosternal cavity by articulating the body and as this engages the insect folds rapidly under strain and is propelled backward,usually into the air. This produces the clicking sound after which the beetles are named. Placing a specimen on its back will demonstrate this, a specimen held in the fingers will usually 'click' over and over. Elytra covering abdomen, striate and punctured. Upper side pubescent to some extent. Most are strong fliers and take off readily. Adults of many species are found overwintering e.g. Melanotus under bark or logs and Agriotes spp. in grass tussocks or moss. By April a variety of species appear in the sweep net and as the weather warms up they are found in large numbers among herbage and grass. Adults often bask in warm sunlight on low vegetation or on umbel flowers. Although many species are common and widespread some have very restricted distribution or narrow habitat requirements e.g. Ampedus sanguinolentus (Schrank) among the roots of heather or Ampedus spp. under bark in summer. Larvae in wood or soil among roots. Athous spp. and Agriotes spp. are the notorious 'wireworms' pest of agricultural crops, living for several years in the soil and feeding from a series of plants during their lifetimes. Pupation takes only a few weeks in chambers deep in the earth.
Agriotes acuminatus	Agriotes acuminatus	Agriotes acuminatus
Agriotes lineatus	Agriotes lineatus
Agriotes obscurus
Agriotes pallidulus	Agriotes pallidulus
Agriotes sputator
Agrypnus murinus
Ampedus balteatus	Ampedus quercicola
Athous bicolor
Athous campyloides
Athous haemorrhoidalis	Athous haemorrhoidalis	Athous haemorrhoidalis	Athous haemorrhoidalis
Athous vittatus	Athous vittatus	Athous vittatus
Ctenicera cuprea	Ctenicera cuprea	Ctenicera cuprea	Ctenicera cuprea
Dalopius marginatus	Dalopius marginatus	Dalopius marginatus
Denticollis linearis	Denticollis linearis	Denticollis linearis	Denticollis linearis	Denticollis linearis
Hemicrepidius hirtus
Kibunea minuta	Melanotus castanipes
Prosternon tessalatum
Stenagostus rhombeus
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