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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Elateriformia » Elateroidea » Click Beetles (Elateridae) » Oxynopterinae » Melanactes » Melanactes densus
Photo#1654127
large black beetle - Melanactes densus
Copyright © 2019 Kimberly Steinmann

large black beetle - Melanactes densus
Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA
April 22, 2019
large black beetle emerged out of this hole (about the size of a nickel) that i had been videotaping (out of curiosity as there were pelleted pieces of soil next to it) - i dont know whether it was actually using the hole, or it it just ducked inside when it heard me walking nearby and then peaked out when i saw it. I did not get it on videotape, just saw it peaking out when i was putting my camera away

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large black beetle - Melanactes densus large black beetle - Melanactes densus large black beetle - Melanactes densus
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Contributed by Kimberly Steinmann on 22 April, 2019 - 9:50pm
Last updated 23 April, 2019 - 5:51am

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Blaine Mathison, 23 April, 2019 - 5:51am login or register to post comments

 
hole
Is it possible that this hole, and the nearby soil pellets, was made or being used by Melanactes densus? Or is it more likely that the click beetle was just ducking into the hole for a moment to explore or hide when i saw it emerging out of the hole's opening?
… Kimberly Steinmann, 23 April, 2019 - 8:43am login or register to post comments

 
not sure
such behavior is atypical for click beetles. I can check the Melanactes revision later to see if there is anything on biological notes, but my hunch is that the hole was made by something else.
… Blaine Mathison, 23 April, 2019 - 8:45am login or register to post comments

 
thank you!
thank you!
… Kimberly Steinmann, 23 April, 2019 - 9:08am login or register to post comments

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