Melanactes densus

[What]

Love finding these guys

, my second in 3 yrs. This one is 25mm exactly.

I think I read somewhere that they are the west coast's largest elaterid?

 

[Lucanus]

Nice click beetle you caught.

Although I can find two species of Genus Alaus in my Area, I wish I can find some click beetles with the color like that.

 

[What]

Im not sure where you are located exactly, but... Melanactes piceus might range where you are, and those get much bigger, 3cm!

 

[Lucanus]

Im not sure where you are located exactly, but... Melanactes piceus might range where you are, and those get much bigger, 3cm!

I live in Alabama so I wouldn't be able to find one unless I go to western state or if some accidentally comes over to my state.

 

[What]

I live in Alabama so I wouldn't be able to find one unless I go to western state or if some accidentally comes over to my state.

There are records from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia for M. piceus on BugGuide, it seems fairly likely that they range in Alabama too to me.

 

[Dynastes]

I think I read somewhere that they are the west coast's largest elaterid?

There are a handfull larger in AZ and probably as many in CA including Alaus melanops.

 

[Lucanus]

There are records from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia for M. piceus on BugGuide, it seems fairly likely that they range in Alabama too to me.

Oh. I did not know that! Thank you for telling me that

 

[What]

There are a handfull larger in AZ and probably as many in CA including Alaus melanops.

Interesting, I had not heard of those ranging into much of the west coast, I guess I was wrong. I will have to add pine bark as a place to look while out in the mountains.