Table of Contents

Preface 7 Acknowledgments 8 How to Use This Book 9 Classification 9 Key to Families 9 Family Diagnoses 9 Species Accounts 9 Species Identification 10 Introduction to Beetles 11 Beetle Anatomy 11 Behavior and Natural History 19 When and Where to Find Beetles 33 Observing and Photographing Beetles 36 Beetle Conservation and the Ethics of Collecting 38 Collecting and Preserving Beetles 39 Making a Beetle Collection 45 Keeping and Rearing Beetles in Captivity 49 Taking an Active Role in Beetle Research 52 Illustrated Key to the Common Beetle Families of Eastern North America 53 Beetles of Eastern North America 59 Reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) 60 Telephone-pole beetles (Micromalthidae) 61 Minute bog beetles (Sphaeriusidae) 62 Ground, tiger, and wrinkled bark beetles (Carabidae) 63 Whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae) 94 Crawling water beetles (Haliplidae) 96 Burrowing water beetles (Noteridae) 97 Predaceous diving beetles (Dytiscidae) 99 Water scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae) 105 Clown beetles (Histeridae) 110 Minute moss beetles (Hydraenidae) 114 Featherwing beetles (Ptiliidae) 115 Primitive carrion beetles (Agyrtidae) 117 Round fungus beetles (Leiodidae) 118 Burying and carrion beetles (Silphidae) 120 Rove beetles (Staphylinidae) 124 Stag beetles (Lucanidae) 142 Bess beetles (Passalidae) 145 Enigmatic scarab beetles (Glaresidae) 146 Hide beetles (Trogidae) 147 Earth-boring scarab beetles (Geotrupidae) 149 Sand-loving scarab beetles (Ochodaeidae) 152 Scavenger and pill scarab beetles (Hybosoridae) 153 Bumble bee scarabs (Glaphyridae) 155 Scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) 156 Plate-thigh beetles (Eucinetidae) 178 Minute beetles (Clambidae) 179 Marsh beetles (Scirtidae) 180 Cicada parasite beetles (Rhipiceridae) 183 Metallic wood-boring or jewel beetles (Buprestidae) 184 Pill or moss beetles (Byrrhidae) 195 Riffle beetles (Elmidae) 196 Long-toed water beetles (Dryopidae) 198 Travertine beetles (Lutrochidae) 200 Minute marsh-loving beetles (Limnichidae) 201 Variegated mud-loving beetles (Heteroceridae) 202 Water penny beetles (Psephenidae) 203 Ptilodactylid beetles (Ptilodactylidae) 204 Chelonariid beetles (Chelonariidae) 206 Callirhipid beetles (Callirhipidae) 207 Artematopodid beetles (Artematopodidae) 208 Rare click beetles (Cerophytidae) 209 False click beetles (Eucnemidae) 210 Throscid beetles (Throscidae) 211 Click beetles (Elateridae) 213 Net-winged beetles (Lycidae) 229 Glowworms (Phengodidae) 233 Fireflies, lightningbugs, and glowworms (Lampyridae) 234 False soldier and false firefly beetles (Omethidae) 237 Soldier beetles (Cantharidae) 238 Tooth-neck fungus beetles (Derodontidae) 243 Wounded-tree beetles (Nosodendridae) 244 Jacobsoniid beetles (Jacobsoniidae) 245 Skin beetles (Dermestidae) 246 Endecatomid beetles (Endecatomidae) 249 Bostrichid beetles (Bostrichidae) 250 Death-watch and spider beetles (Ptinidae) 252 Ship-timber beetles (Lymexylidae) 258 Bark-gnawing beetles and cadelles (Trogossitidae) 259 Checkered beetles (Cleridae) 263 Soft-winged flower beetles (Melyridae) 271 Fruitworm beetles (Byturidae) 274 Cryptic slime mold beetles (Sphindidae) 275 False skin beetles (Biphyllidae) 276 Pleasing fungus and lizard beetles (Erotylidae) 277 Root-eating beetles (Monotomidae) 281 Silken fungus beetles (Cryptophagidae) 283 Silvanid flat bark beetles (Silvanidae) 285 Flat bark beetles (Cucujidae) 288 Parasitic flat bark beetles (Passandridae) 289 Shining flower and shining mold beetles (Phalacridae) 290 Lined flat bark beetles (Laemophloeidae) 291 Short-winged flower beetles (Kateretidae) 293 Sap beetles (Nitidulidae) 295 Cybocephalid beetles (Cybocephalidae) 304 Palmetto beetles (Smicripidae) 305 Bothriderid beetles (Bothrideridae) 305 Minute bark beetles (Cerylonidae) 307 Handsome fungus beetles (Endomychidae) 308 Lady beetles (Coccinellidae) 311 Minute hooded and fungus beetles (Corylophidae) 320 Minute brown scavenger beetles (Latridiidae) 322 Hairy fungus beetles (Mycetophagidae) 323 Archeocrypticid beetles (Archeocrypticidae) 325 Minute tree-fungus beetles (Ciidae) 326 Polypore fungus beetles (Tetratomidae) 327 False darkling beetles (Melandryidae) 329 Tumbling flower beetles (Mordellidae) 333 Ripiphorid beetles (Ripiphoridae) 338 Zopherid beetles (Zopheridae) 340 Darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) 344 Synchroa bark beetles (Synchroidae) 359 False longhorn beetles (Stenotrachelidae) 360 False blister beetles (Oedemeridae) 362 Blister beetles (Meloidae) 365 Palm and flower beetles (Mycteridae) 369 Conifer bark beetles (Boridae) 371 Dead log beetles (Pythidae) 372 Fire-colored beetles (Pyrochroidae) 373 Narrow-waisted bark beetles (Salpingidae) 376 Antlike flower beetles (Anthicidae) 377 Ischaliid beetles (Ischaliidae) 382 Antlike leaf beetles (Aderidae) 382 False flower beetles (Scraptiidae) 384 Disteniid longhorn beetles (Disteniidae) 387 Longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) 388 Megalopodid leaf beetles (Megalopodidae) 428 Orsodacnid leaf beetles (Orsodacnidae) 429 Leaf and seed beetles (Chrysomelidae) 429 Pine flower snout beetles (Nemonychidae) 457 Fungus weevils (Anthribidae) 458 Cycad weevils (Belidae) 462 Leaf-rolling and thief weevils, and toothnose snout beetles (Attelabidae) 462 Straight-snouted and pear-shaped weevils (Brentidae) 466 Weevils, and snout, bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae) 469 Appendix: Classification of the Beetles Covered in This Book 501 Glossary 523 Selected References and Resources 527 Photo and Illustration Credits 530 Index 537

About the Author

Arthur V. Evans is an entomologist, author, lecturer, photographer, and broadcaster. He has written and cowritten many books, including "An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles", the "Field Guide to Beetles of California", and the "National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America".

Reviews

Honorable Mention for the 2015 National Outdoor Book Awards, Nature Guidebooks, NOBA Foundation "If you are interested in beetles, then this is a must have."--Roberta Gibson, Wild about Ants "Few entomologists are also skilled at writing for a general audience, but Evans makes it seem effortless. He has a real gift for simplifying concepts so that they are not intimidating to an amateur naturalist yet not condescending to veteran entomologists. The introductory section is as well-illustrated as the remainder of the book, and explains many puzzling physical features of beetles... In short, this is the most compact, affordable, comprehensive, and useful beetle book to come along since I can't remember when."--Bug Eric "'Beetle-maniacs' will adore this beautifully illustrated, comprehensive volume written by the renowned entomologist Arthur Evans. Those who don't realize beetles are such a fascinating topic will be happily surprised."--Catriona Tudor Erler, New York Journal of Books "Anyone east of the Mississippi with more than a passing interest in insects will want a copy. Now."--Bill Cannon, Scientist's Bookshelf "Stunning."--Dan Tallman's Bird Blog "Beetles of Eastern North America is an excellent book that will be much loved by field naturalists and entomologists alike, especially given its very modest price."--Robert F. Foster, Canadian Field-Naturalist "This guide is detailed, easy to use and nicely illustrated. It will open your eyes to these interesting little creatures, many of which are stunningly colorful and beautiful."--R. E. H., Wildlife Activist