About Alaus oculatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Alaus oculatus reaches a body length of approximately 25 to 45 millimetres (1.0 to 1.8 inches). It has an entirely black, elongated body. A large oval patch of darker scales bordered by white appears on each side of the pronotum, and this feature gives the beetle its common name. Its elytra are striated and mottled with silvery whitish scales. The large eye-like markings on the pronotum are an evolved defensive adaptation that works to confuse or frighten potential predators. These "eyespots" are a form of self-mimicry, where one body part adapts to mimic another body part. Like all click beetles, A. oculatus can suddenly catapult itself away from danger by releasing stored energy through a click mechanism, which is made up of a stout spine on the prosternum and a matching groove on the mesosternum. This species occurs in Central and North America. It inhabits deciduous and mixed forests, as well as woodlands. Alaus oculatus lays its eggs in soil or on standing deadwood. Most larvae from the click beetle family Elateridae are commonly called wireworms, and are well-known agricultural pests that feed on plant material. However, Alaus oculatus larvae are unique among wireworms because they are predatory, feeding on other beetle larvae that live in decaying wood, especially larvae of the Cerambycidae family. The larvae pupate inside rotting logs or underground, and adults emerge in spring, and are commonly found until September.
