Knowledgebase

Insect id #877689

Asked July 17, 2024, 5:01 PM EDT

I found this one in my garden by my tomato plants

Anne Arundel County Maryland

Expert Response

This is called an Eastern Eyed Click Beetle (Alaus oculatus). The two large markings on the top are false eyespots, designed to make themselves look scary to predators. Fortunately, they are not a pest of tomato plants. In their immature form (larvae), they eat other insects. Here is a good article about click beetles by University of Maryland entomologist Dr. Mike Raupp. 

Christa
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 18, 2024, 9:49 AM EDT

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