Field Guide

The eastern Hercules beetle is a breathtaking animal. Like its Greek-hero namesake, it is big and strong. Males have horns; females do not. Hercules beetles are harmless to people.

Milkweed longhorns are a genus of longhorned beetles that feed on milkweed. They are red with black spots. The species are very similar.

The swamp milkweed leaf beetle is found on the various milkweeds it eats, often in grassy areas or on roadsides. The exact pattern of orange and black varies among individuals.

Blister beetles in the genus Meloe are called oil beetles because of a yellowish oil they excrete from their joints when squeezed or distressed. This oil contains cantharidin, an irritating chemical that can cause blistering in many people.

The eyed click beetle is only one of about 1,000 species of click beetles in North America. Most of the others are drab in comparison.

One of our many native lady beetles, the convergent lady beetle is named for two short white lines on the black pronotum (shoulderlike section behind the head) that converge toward each other.

The polished lady beetle lacks spots. One of our many native lady beetles, it eats aphids, which endears it to gardeners and farmers.

The V-marked lady beetle, one of our many native lady beetles, is very attractive. The pattern and coloration can vary greatly among individuals, but most in this species have a V on the back.

Not all Missouri lady beetles are red with black spots. The four-spotted lady beetle reverses the pattern.

The seven-spotted lady beetle is native to Eurasia and was introduced to our continent to combat aphid pests. It is now well established in North America.