21 Types of Beetles in Minnesota: Identification Tips and Where to Spot Them
October 28, 2026
The types of beetles in Minnesota run from a red-and-black milkweed specialist that squeaks when picked up to a metallic green sprinter that hunts along sunny woodland trails. Some beetles are garden helpers, some chew leaves, and a few bore into trees, but nearly all of them are worth a closer look.
InsectIdentification’s Minnesota listing alone includes 203 beetles. Minnesota Seasons notes that its own list covers only beetles recorded in the state, not every beetle found there. The 21 beetles below are a field-friendly sample, chosen because a hiker, gardener, or backyard naturalist has a real chance of meeting them.
Several entries are whole families, and others are single species. Each section names the typical habitat and the season to look for it. Readers who want the bigger picture can start with this overview of how many types of beetles there are.
| Beetle | Family | Where It Is Most Often Seen |
|---|---|---|
| Red Milkweed Beetle | Cerambycidae | Milkweed patches in prairies and roadsides |
| Blister Beetle | Meloidae | Goldenrod and other late-summer flowers |
| Long-Horned Beetle | Cerambycidae | Flowers and dead wood |
| Privet Borer | Cerambycidae | Ash, lilac, and privet wood |
| Rove Beetle | Staphylinidae | Leaf litter, compost, and carrion |
| Click Beetle | Elateridae | Fields, gardens, and porch lights |
| Eyed Click Beetle | Elateridae | Rotting logs and forest edges |
| Lady Beetle | Coccinellidae | Gardens, fields, and sunny house walls |
| Cream-Spotted Lady Beetle | Coccinellidae | Shrubs and trees with aphids |
| Net-Winged Beetle | Lycidae | Goldenrod and woodland edges |
| Scarab Beetle | Scarabaeidae | Lawns, tree hollows, and lights |
| Grape Pelidnota | Scarabaeidae | Wild and cultivated grapevines |
| Sumac Flea Beetle | Chrysomelidae | Sumac thickets |
| Weevil | Curculionidae | Gardens, orchards, and fields |
| Hollyhock Weevil | Brentidae | Hollyhock plantings |
| Straight-Snouted Weevil | Brentidae | Oak woodlands |
| Stag Beetle | Lucanidae | Hardwood forests, often at night lights |
| Pinchingbug | Lucanidae and relatives | Rotting logs and stumps |
| Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle | Carabidae | Sunny woodland paths |
| Tile-Horned Prionus | Cerambycidae | Porch lights near oak and other trees |
| Locust Borer | Cerambycidae | Goldenrod near black locust |
1. Red Milkweed Beetle
The red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) is one of the easiest beetles to recognize in Minnesota. InsectIdentification lists it among the state’s beetles. Its bright red-orange body, black spots, and long black antennae stand out against green milkweed leaves from June through August.
The name “tetrophthalmus” means four-eyed. Each antenna base cuts into an eye and splits it in two. Adults chew milkweed leaves and stems, and the larvae feed on the roots. The beetle squeaks when handled, which startles predators.
Milkweed also matters to the Minnesota monarch butterfly, so one prairie patch can hold both insects at once. Anyone searching for the best places to see butterflies in Minnesota will often find red milkweed beetles on the same plants.
2. Blister Beetle
Blister beetles belong to the family Meloidae. They have slender, soft-bodied shapes and a head that looks narrower than the body. The black blister beetle (Epicauta pensylvanica) is a common late-summer visitor to goldenrod flowers, where adults feed on pollen and petals.
Minnesota Seasons also records the two-lined blister beetle (Zonitis bilineata). That species is striped, so it looks quite different from the all-black kind. Both types make cantharidin, a defensive chemical that can irritate skin.
Important Note: Observers should avoid crushing or squeezing a blister beetle against bare skin. A gentle brush with a leaf or a wash with soap and water after accidental contact is the safer approach.
3. Long-Horned Beetle
Long-horned beetles make up the family Cerambycidae. Their antennae are often as long as the body, or longer. The family is large in Minnesota, and the red milkweed beetle, the privet borer, the tile-horned prionus, and the locust borer all belong to it.
The ant-like longhorn beetle (Cyrtophorus verrucosus) shows how varied the group can be. Minnesota Seasons lists it among the state’s longhorns. Most larvae tunnel through wood, while many adults sip nectar and pollen from summer flowers. Neighboring states share many species, as the list of beetles in Ohio shows.
4. Privet Borer
The privet borer, also called the ash and privet borer (Tylonotus bimaculatus), is a small longhorn beetle of about half an inch or less. Its dark brown body carries pale markings. Larvae bore into dead or dying wood of ash, lilac, and privet.
It should not be confused with the emerald ash borer, which is a jewel beetle. InsectIdentification includes the emerald ash borer in its Minnesota beetle list. The privet borer mostly works in wood that is already stressed or dead. Homeowners who find exit holes in an old lilac stem are usually looking at its handiwork.
5. Rove Beetle
Rove beetles (family Staphylinidae) are easy to spot by their stubby wing covers, which leave most of the abdomen showing. At a glance they resemble earwigs without pincers. They run fast through leaf litter, compost piles, and under rotting logs.
InsectIdentification lists two large rove beetles for Minnesota, including Platydracus cinnamopterus. Adults and larvae hunt fly larvae, mites, and other small prey. When threatened, a rove beetle curls its abdomen upward like a scorpion, though it cannot sting. Missouri naturalists describe similar species in the types of beetles in Missouri.
6. Click Beetle
Click beetles (family Elateridae) are narrow, tapered insects that can snap a hinge between the thorax and abdomen. The snap flips an upside-down beetle into the air and makes a small clicking sound. The common corn wireworm beetle (Melanotus communis) is a typical example of the group in eastern North America.
The larvae, called wireworms, live in soil and chew on seeds and roots of corn, potatoes, and other crops. Adults are brown or black and turn up on porch lights in late spring and early summer. For a southern comparison, the beetles of Virginia include similar click beetles.
7. Eyed Click Beetle
The eastern eyed click beetle (Alaus oculatus) is the showpiece of the click beetle family. InsectIdentification lists the Eastern Eyed Click Beetle for Minnesota. Adults are mottled gray and black, and they can reach well over an inch long.
Two large black spots on the shield behind the head look like owl eyes. They scare off birds and other predators. The larvae live in rotting logs and eat other wood-boring grubs. Adults click loudly when flipped, so a person who picks one up will usually hear it first.
8. Lady Beetle
Lady beetles (family Coccinellidae) are among the most familiar insects in Minnesota yards. The Asian multicolored lady beetle is on InsectIdentification’s Minnesota list. That species (Harmonia axyridis) varies from pale orange to deep red, with anywhere from no spots to a dozen or more.
Native species include the convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens) and the ashy gray lady beetle (Olla v-nigrum). All of them eat aphids and scale insects. In early autumn, Asian multicolored lady beetles gather on sunny walls and slip indoors to overwinter, which is why many Minnesota homeowners notice them in October. Maryland readers can compare local species in the types of beetles in Maryland.
9. Cream-Spotted Lady Beetle
The cream-spotted lady beetle (Calvia quatuordecimguttata) looks unlike the typical red lady beetle. Its wing covers are tan to orange-brown with up to 14 round cream spots. White edges on the shield behind the head complete the pattern.
This species is native across the northern United States and Canada. Adults and larvae eat aphids on trees and shrubs, and adults are also reported to graze on mildew. Gardeners who spot a tan lady beetle with pale spots can leave it alone, since it is working as pest control.
Pro Tip: A quick way to separate the two lady beetles above is color. Red or orange with black spots usually points to the Asian multicolored kind, and tan with cream spots points to the cream-spotted species.
10. Net-Winged Beetle
Net-winged beetles (family Lycidae) have flattened, soft bodies with wing covers ridged in a net-like pattern. InsectIdentification lists both a net-winged beetle and a reticulated net-winged beetle for Minnesota. The reticulated species (Calopteron reticulatum) is orange-yellow with dark tips on the wing covers.
Adults are slow, often found on goldenrod or on leaves at woodland edges in summer. Their bitter taste protects them, and several harmless insects copy their warning colors. Readers curious about other lookalikes can browse the different types of insects for comparison.
11. Scarab Beetle
Scarab beetles are a common, diverse group. The family includes June beetles, chafers, dung beetles, and flower beetles. Two species of hermit flower beetle live in Minnesota, and Osmoderma eremicola is the more common one. Its larvae feed on old, rotting wood, according to University of Minnesota Extension.
The group also includes the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica). The Minnesota DNR describes it as a metallic green and gold beetle that gathers in large numbers and damages leaves. Adults measure one-third to one-half inch long. The Minnesota DNR page covers management and reporting.
12. Grape Pelidnota
The grape pelidnota (Pelidnota punctata), also called the spotted pelidnota, is a large tan-to-reddish scarab with black spots. It grows up to about an inch long. Adults fly at night and often show up near lights in midsummer.
University of Minnesota Extension reports that grape pelidnotas mostly feed on grape leaves, cause little plant damage, and need no control. The larvae develop in rotting stumps and logs. Grape growers elsewhere, including those reading about the beetles of California, may meet the same species or close relatives.
13. Sumac Flea Beetle
The sumac flea beetle (Blepharida rhois) is a quarter-inch leaf beetle with a mottled yellow-brown shell. Thick back legs let it jump like a flea when disturbed. Staghorn and smooth sumac thickets, common along Minnesota roadsides and fence lines, are its home.
The larvae are the odd part of the story. They coat themselves in their own droppings, which gives them a lumpy disguise and discourages predators. Sumac usually recovers from the chewing, so the beetle is more of a curiosity than a threat.
14. Weevil
Weevils (family Curculionidae) are beetles with a long, downward-curving snout that carries chewing mouthparts at the tip. Bug Tech describes weevils as small, pear-shaped beetles with a noticeable snout. The family is huge, and most species feed on a narrow range of plants.
InsectIdentification’s Minnesota list includes the black vine weevil and the plum curculio. Those two are scientifically known as Otiorhynchus sulcatus and Conotrachelus nenuphar. Minnesota Seasons calls the rhubarb weevil large and easy to identify, but uncommon in the upper Midwest. Gardeners notice notched leaves first and the beetles later, because many adults feed at night.
15. Hollyhock Weevil
The hollyhock weevil (Rhopalapion longirostre) is a tiny gray-black weevil with a remarkably long, thin snout. It is a European native that reached North America long ago. Females use the snout to drill into hollyhock buds before laying eggs.
The larvae eat the developing seeds inside the bud. Plants may still bloom, but seed set drops. Minnesota gardeners who grow old-fashioned hollyhocks along fences and garages are the most likely to meet this weevil in July.
16. Straight-Snouted Weevil
Straight-snouted weevils belong to the family Brentidae, and the hollyhock weevil above is one of its small members. The oak timberworm (Arrhenodes minutus) is the large one. InsectIdentification includes the oak timberworm weevil in its Minnesota list.
This species is long and narrow, reddish-brown to dark, and can reach about three-quarters of an inch. Males have broad heads and larger jaws than females. Larvae bore into oaks that are wounded or weakened, so adults appear near oak woodlands in summer.
17. Stag Beetle
Stag beetles (family Lucanidae) are named for the oversized, antler-like jaws on males. Those jaws are used to wrestle rivals, not to feed. Beetle Identifications lists the reddish-brown stag beetle (Lucanus capreolus) among Minnesota’s stag beetles.
Adults are glossy reddish-brown and measure around an inch or more. They fly on warm early-summer evenings and are drawn to lights. Larvae spend several years inside rotting hardwood stumps. Hobbyists who keep large beetles may also like the types of insects kept as pets.
18. Pinchingbug
“Pinchingbug” is a folk name, not a species. In the Midwest, it most often refers to the reddish-brown stag beetle, which older references placed in the genus Pseudolucanus. The nickname comes from the way big jaws can pinch a finger.
The name is sometimes stretched to cover the horned passalus (Odontotaenius disjunctus), a shiny black log-dweller. InsectIdentification lists the horned passalus beetle for Minnesota. It lives in family groups inside decaying logs and makes squeaking sounds. Neither beetle is dangerous, and both are best admired without handling.
19. Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle
The six-spotted tiger beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) is a metallic green gem about half an inch long. Most carry six white spots along the edges of the wing covers. It races across sunny bare ground in spring and early summer, then flies short distances when approached.
Both adults and larvae are predators. Larvae wait in burrows and snatch passing insects. Hikers can improve their odds by following these steps:
- Choose a sunny, dry woodland trail or path edge in late spring.
- Walk slowly and scan bare patches ten to fifteen feet ahead.
- Approach low and from the shaded side to avoid casting a shadow.
- Watch where the beetle lands, since it often returns to the same spot.
20. Tile-Horned Prionus
The tile-horned prionus (Prionus imbricornis) is one of the largest longhorn beetles in eastern North America. Adults are dark reddish-brown to black and often exceed an inch in length. The antennae look like overlapping tiles because each segment has a sawtooth edge.
Larvae feed on tree and shrub roots, mainly oak. Adults fly at night in summer and bump into porch lights. InsectIdentification also lists a brown prionid beetle for Minnesota, a similar-looking relative. Telling the two apart usually means counting antenna segments up close.
Pro Tip: A white sheet under a porch light on a warm July night is a simple way to see large nocturnal beetles such as prionus beetles, stag beetles, and grape pelidnotas without disturbing them.
21. Locust Borer
The locust borer (Megacyllene robiniae) is a black longhorn beetle with bold yellow zigzag bands that mimic a wasp. It appears on InsectIdentification’s Minnesota beetle list. Adults emerge in late summer and feed on goldenrod pollen, so they are easy to find in August and September.
Larvae tunnel into black locust trees, weakening branches and trunks over time. Goldenrod is also a popular nectar plant for common butterflies in Minnesota, such as monarchs, so a patch of it is a good place to watch several insects at once. Nature lovers who enjoy birdwatching alongside bug-watching can also read about the types of eagles in Minnesota.
Together, these 21 types of beetles in Minnesota show how much variety fits into a single state. A prairie patch, an oak woodland, a grapevine, and a porch light each tell a different beetle story. The easiest way to start is to pick one habitat, visit it in summer, and slow down.
Observers who photograph what they find can match it against the family names above. Even a rough match, such as a rove beetle or a weevil, is a solid first step in learning the insects of the North Star State.
Native plants such as milkweed, goldenrod, and sumac support beetles, butterflies, and bees together. That overlap is why a pollinator-friendly yard, a prairie remnant, or a quiet trail makes a good starting point.