Hobbies And Interests
Tiger Beetles
This species of the family Cicindela preys on other insects during the day, with both adults and larvae active in the hunt. Larvae inhabit burrows in the ground, while adults live above ground and fly. Some varieties of tiger beetle are rare and prized by collectors. The green-and-white-spotted Ohlone tiger beetle is confined to five small areas outside Santa Cruz. The endangered beetle inhabits open grassland along the coast, where intensifying residential development threatens its survival.
Ground Beetles
These predaceous beetles of the family Carabidae live in and on the ground. Active at night, they enter homes to find hiding spots. Predaceous ground beetles in California are usually brown or black and about 1/2 inch in length, with long segmented antennae. Entomologists and gardeners consider the beetles beneficial, because they eat pests including snails, slugs and insect larvae. They don't fly, but their long legs allow them to chase their prey.
Darkling Beetles
Also a ground beetle, this member of the family Tenebrionidae is also known as the stinkbug. California varieties are black and up to 1.5 inches long, and their hind ends are higher than their front ends when they walk. When threatened, they perform a headstand and spray a foul-smelling secretion from their rear end. The secretion can travel up to 20 inches. California has about 100 varieties of stinkbugs, living mostly in arid or mountainous climates. In agricultural communities, they destroy crops including wheat, sorghum, legumes and oil seeds.
Stag Beetles
Wood attracts these beetles, which belong to the family Lucanidae. They gravitate toward rotting tree stumps and wood chips. Entomologists and collectors recognize stag beetles by their antler-like jaws. Males use their jaws to chase off other males, while females will employ their strong mandibles to bite predators. Adult stag beetles thrive on leaves and tree bark. Their striking appearance has landed them in artwork ranging from Renaissance paintings to Turkish good-luck charms.
Scarab Beetles
Beetle family Scarabaeidae is known for its large size. In the Golden State, scarabs are found around coastal San Diego and Baja, California, usually after the first heavy rain of late autumn. Scarabs, also called rain beetles, dwell most often in foothills and canyons. Adult scarabs feed on the needles of pine trees, though some varieties also eat fruit. Flightless females stay inside their ground-based burrows, while males fly over the land in search of mates. Scarabs also squeak when humans handle them.
Bark Beetles and Borers
California also has a number of nonnative invasive beetles. The state harbors roughly 20 species of bark beetles, which belong to the family Scolytidae and are about the size of a grain of rice. The beetles destroy pine trees in cities, including Mediterranean pines around Los Angeles and the Central Valley. Some bark beetles attack oaks and other broadleaf trees, while others spread lethal tree fungi including Dutch elm disease. Other destructive borers in California include the Asian long-horned beetle (family Cerambycidae), which destroys maple and poplar trees, and the Japanese beetle (family Scarabaeidae), which damages fruit trees, vegetable gardens, ornamental shrubs and vines.