Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Cucujus clavipes - Red Flat Bark Beetle

Representative Images

larva - Cucujus clavipes Cucujus clavipes Fabricius - Cucujus clavipes Red Flat Bark Beetle - Cucujus clavipes Red Flat Bark Beetle - Cucujus clavipes Cucujus clavipes Cucujus clavipes Cucujids - Cucujus clavipes Cucujids - Cucujus clavipes

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Cucujoidea
No Taxon (Cucujid series)
Family Cucujidae (Flat Bark Beetles)
Genus Cucujus
Species clavipes (Red Flat Bark Beetle)

Explanation of Names

Cucujus clavipes Fabricius 1777

Size

Adult 10-14 mm

Range

widely dist. across Amer. to AK - Map (1), less common across most of the s. US

Habitat

under loose bark of deciduous trees(2)

Food

presumably predaceous on other arthropods

Life Cycle

Remarks

Western subspecies has been reinstated

Print References

Lee J., Thomas M.C. (2011) Clarification of the taxonomic status of Cucujus clavipes with descriptions of the larvae of C. c. clavipes and C. c. puniceus (Coleoptera: Cucujidae). Fla. Entomol. 94: 145–150 (Full text)
Sformo T., Walters K., Jeannet K., Wowk B., Fahy G.M., Barnes B.M., Duman J.G. (2010) Deep supercooling, vitrification and limited survival to -100°C in the Alaskan beetle Cucujus clavipes puniceus (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) larvae. J. Exper. Biol. 213: 502–509
Smith D.B., Sears M.K. (1982) Mandibular structure and feeding habits of three morphologically similar coleopterous larvae Cucujus clavipes (Cucujidae), Dendroides canadensis (Pyrochroidae), and Pytho depressus (Salpingidae). Can. Entomol. 114: 173-175.

Works Cited

1.Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
2.Beetles of Eastern North America
Arthur V. Evans. 2014. Princeton University Press.