The types of beetles in Texas run from pea-sized flower visitors to heavy-horned giants that look like they belong in a tropical rainforest. One online identification database lists 239 beetle entries for the state, and that number covers only the species that hobbyists have photographed and catalogued. The real total is higher.
Texas has piney woods in the east, desert mountains in the Trans-Pecos, and brush country along the Rio Grande. Each habitat supports a different set of beetles. This article walks through 28 of the most interesting ones, covering what they look like, where they live, and what they do for gardens, crops, and wild places.
Beetles also make up the largest group of animals on Earth. Biologists estimate there are at least 400,000 species, so Texas hosts only a small slice of them. For a wider view of the state’s wildlife, the guide to types of insects in Texas is a good companion, and the overview of how many types of beetles there are explains the scale.
1. Firefly
Few insects say “summer evening” like fireflies. These soft-bodied beetles are in the family Lampyridae, and the Big Dipper firefly (Photinus pyralis) is one of the most widespread species in the eastern United States. In Texas, the best viewing is usually in warm, humid areas of the eastern half of the state, around lawns, creek bottoms, and wet meadows at dusk.
Males flash in flight to attract females waiting in the grass. Each species has its own flash pattern, so watching the timing helps with identification. Texas Entomology keeps a list of Texas beetle resources that includes a page devoted to the state’s firefly beetles.
Pro Tip: Turn off porch and yard lights during peak firefly season. Artificial light can drown out flash signals and make it harder for fireflies to find mates.
2. Soldier Beetle
Soldier beetles look a lot like fireflies, but they do not glow. The goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) is listed among the soldier beetles found in Texas. It has an orange-yellow body with dark markings and a soft, leathery wing cover.
Adults gather on goldenrod and other late-season blooms, where they feed on pollen and nectar and also hunt small insects. Their larvae live in leaf litter and soil and eat other insects. Gardeners generally welcome them because they help keep aphids in check and visit flowers like small pollinators.
3. Rhinoceros Beetle
The rhinoceros beetle in Texas is usually the ox beetle (Strategus aloeus), a stout scarab with a horned head. Ox beetles have hairy undersides, and they are dark brown and nocturnal, so most people meet them at porch lights after dark. They are found along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and prefer pine forest habitat.
Males carry a prominent horn on the head and a ridged shield behind it. Despite the intimidating look, they do not bite or sting. The larvae feed on decaying wood and plant matter, which makes the adults helpful recyclers rather than pests.
People who keep large scarabs as hobby insects often start with this group, and the roundup of types of insects as pets covers what to expect.
4. Giant Stag Beetle
The giant stag beetle (Lucanus elaphus) is one of the largest beetles in the eastern United States, and Texas stag beetle sightings are most likely in the wooded east. Males have oversized, branching jaws that look dangerous but are used mostly for wrestling rivals. Females have much smaller mandibles and can pinch harder than the males.
Stag beetle larvae spend years inside rotting hardwood stumps and logs. Adults emerge in summer, fly to lights, and live for only a few weeks. A dead oak left standing in a backyard or woodlot can support a whole population.
The neighboring state of Virginia has a similar cast of wood-dwelling species, which the types of beetles in Virginia article covers.
5. Eastern Hercules Beetle
The eastern Hercules beetle (Dynastes tityus) is the heavyweight of the Texas scarabs. The Texas A&M field guide describes adults as about 1½ to 2½ inches long, yellowish or greenish-gray with brown to black spots. Males have two curved horns, one on the thorax and one on the head, which meet like pincers.
Adults fly at night and show up at lights from early summer into fall. They feed on sap and ripe fruit, and the large grubs live in rotting hardwood. The Texas A&M field guide entry is a reliable place to confirm an ID.
Important Note: Some websites claim male eastern Hercules beetles reach 7 inches. The Texas A&M field guide gives a much smaller size range, so treat the larger numbers as unreliable. Those figures better fit tropical Hercules beetles from Central and South America.
Georgia shares this species, so the beetles of Georgia guide is a useful comparison for readers across the South.
6. Grant’s Hercules Beetle
Grant’s Hercules beetle (Dynastes granti), also called the western Hercules beetle, is the mountain cousin of the eastern species. In the United States it lives in the sky-island ranges of the Southwest, and in Texas that points to the higher elevations of the Trans-Pecos. It is typically olive or grayish-green in color, and males have the same pincer-like horns.
Texas Entomology includes it in its list of Texas beetle information pages. Because it lives in remote mountain woodlands, it is far less often seen than the eastern Hercules beetle. Most records come from nighttime light sheets set up by entomologists.
Arizona has a stronger population, and the types of beetles in Arizona guide describes the shared habitat.
7. Texas Megasoma
The Texas Megasoma (Megasoma vogti) is a giant rhinoceros-type scarab that few Texans will ever see. It is on Texas Entomology’s list of big scarab species, alongside the Hercules beetles and the ox beetle. The group it belongs to includes some of the heaviest beetles in the Americas.
Adults are strong, dark, and horned, and they are active at night. Larvae develop in decaying wood or plant matter over a long period. Because records are scarce, anyone who finds a large unfamiliar horned scarab at a Texas porch light should photograph it and post it to a community science project such as iNaturalist.
8. American Burying Beetle
The American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) is a protected species with an unusual family life. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it is the largest carrion beetle in North America, and adults reach 1.0 to 1.8 inches in length. They are black with bold orange-red markings.
Pairs bury small dead animals such as birds and rodents, then raise their young on the carcass. Their club-like antennae have chemoreceptors that detect dead animals from far away. The species has been on the federal list since 1989 and has since been reclassified from endangered to threatened, according to Wikipedia’s burying beetle entry.
Key Insight: The FWS reports that the species is believed to be extirpated from all but nine U.S. states. Texas Entomology still lists it among the state’s carrion beetles, but sightings in Texas are rare, so contact wildlife officials rather than handling one.
9. Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle
The six-spotted tiger beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) is a metallic green gem. Despite the name, its spot count varies, and some individuals have almost none. It is a fast, visual hunter that runs down small insects on forest trails and sunny clearings, then takes flight in short bursts.
Texas Entomology notes that there are some 57 species and subspecies of tiger beetles in Texas, according to its 2011 compilation. The six-spotted tiger beetle is the one most hikers meet first on shaded dirt paths in the eastern part of the state. It usually flies a few yards ahead, lands, and turns to face the walker.
The same species is found farther northeast, and the types of beetles in Maryland article is a handy comparison.
10. Cajun Tiger Beetle
The Cajun tiger beetle (Dromochorus pilatei) is a pale, slender species of sandy ground in the Gulf Coast region. Texas Entomology lists it among the state’s showcase tiger beetles, and it is cataloged under the ground beetle family. Its light coloring blends into open sand.
Like other tiger beetles, it has large eyes, long legs, and powerful jaws. It tends to be active in warm, sunny weather and disappears into burrows or shade when it gets too hot. Tiger beetle watching is easiest with a slow approach and a camera with a close-focus lens.
- Walk slowly along sandy trails, shorelines, or dry creek beds in full sun.
- Look ahead of you for a small shape that runs and stops.
- Crouch low and move in short steps, because quick movements send them flying.
- Photograph the back, the head, and the wing pattern to help with identification.
11. South Texas Giant Tiger Beetle
The South Texas giant tiger beetle (Amblycheila hoversoni) is a big, flightless, nocturnal tiger beetle. Its genus is notable because these beetles are heavy-bodied and dark, unlike the shiny day-active species. They hide in burrows by day and hunt other insects at night.
The species is named for its home in the brushy country of the southern part of the state. Because it hides and comes out after dark, it is hard to find without a flashlight and some patience. Finding one is a highlight for Texas beetle enthusiasts.
12. Blue Phanaeus
The blue Phanaeus (Phanaeus adonis) is a dung beetle with an iridescent shine. Texas Entomology notes it as a first U.S. record, which means Texas is the gateway for this species into the country. Males have a curved horn on the head, and the body flashes blue-green in sunlight.
Phanaeus dung beetles are tunnelers, not ball rollers. They pull dung down into burrows to feed their larvae. That behavior cycles nutrients back into the soil and also reduces the number of flies that breed in manure on ranchland.
13. Texas Black Phanaeus
The Texas black Phanaeus (Phanaeus triangularis texensis) is a darker relative of the blue Phanaeus. It is a Texas subspecies, so it is part of the state’s own entry on the list of Phanaeus beetles known from Texas. The body is a deep, glossy black, and males have a single curved horn.
Like its relatives, it works around fresh dung from cattle, horses, and wildlife. Ranchers benefit from dung beetles because buried manure fertilizes pasture and cuts down on pests. Another widespread relative is the rainbow scarab (Phanaeus vindex), which shows metallic green and copper colors.
14. Spotted Pelidnota
The spotted pelidnota (Pelidnota punctata), better known as the grapevine beetle, is a big tan to yellowish scarab with black spots on each wing cover. It is a night flier that comes to lights in summer. Adults eat grape leaves, but they rarely do serious damage.
The larvae live in rotting stumps and old logs, so a decaying oak stump is good habitat. Texas Entomology counts 30 species of Rutelinae scarabs in the state, and this is one of the more recognizable members. Anyone with a wild grape vine on a fence line has a fair chance of seeing one.
15. Western Green June Beetle
The western green June beetle (Cotinis mutabilis), also called the figeater beetle, is a hefty metallic green scarab. It is commonly seen in Texas. The top is velvety green and the underside glows copper.
It buzzes low over lawns and orchards in summer, and it feeds on ripe fruit such as figs, peaches, and grapes. The grubs live in soil and compost and can crawl on their backs. The eastern green June beetle (Cotinis nitida) fills a similar role in the east of the state.
Readers in California will recognize it too, and the types of beetles in California guide covers its western range.
16. Lined June Beetle
The lined June beetle is a striped scarab in the genus Polyphylla. Hammond’s lined June beetle (Polyphylla hammondi) is the one listed for Texas. It has pale stripes running down a brown body.
Males have huge fan-shaped antennae that detect the scent of females. Adults fly after dark and come to porch lights in late spring and summer. The larvae feed on roots underground and can damage turf in large numbers.
Texas has more than 100 scarab species, according to A-Z Animals, so lined June beetles are one of many types of June bugs.
17. Bumble Flower Scarab
The bumble flower scarab (Euphoria inda), or bumble flower beetle, is a brown, hairy scarab that flies with a loud, clumsy buzz. Beetle Identifications lists it as one of the scarabs found in Texas. The name comes from its bumblebee-like sound, not from its looks.
Adults come to fermenting fruit, tree sap, and compost heaps. They also visit flowers. The larvae feed on decaying plant matter, including manure and rotten wood.
Pro Tip: Set out a dish of overripe banana or melon at the edge of a wooded yard in summer. Flower scarabs and other fruit-loving beetles will often find it within a day or two.
18. Common Flower Scarab
Common flower scarabs are medium-sized beetles that spend the day feeding on pollen, nectar, and sweet sap. They belong to a group that includes metallic, fuzzy, and spotted species. The Texas flower scarab (Trichiotinus texanus) is one example, with a hairy body that mimics a bee.
Flower scarabs fly with their wing covers closed, so they look like they glide through the air. Many species show up on thistles, sunflowers, and prickly pear blooms. Their larvae live in decaying wood and leaf litter, so a healthy forest floor keeps them around.
Their daytime habits make them one of the easiest beetle groups for beginners to photograph. Look for them on flowers around mid-morning.
19. Red Milkweed Beetle
The red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) is bright red-orange with black spots and long black antennae. Its eyes are split in two by the antennae, which gives it the look of having four eyes. The color warns predators that it carries milkweed toxins.
Adults eat milkweed leaves and flowers, while larvae feed on the roots. Texas Entomology maintains a page on longhorn beetles and the genus Tetraopes, which includes several similar species. People who plant native milkweed for monarchs often end up hosting these beetles, which is a normal part of a milkweed patch.
Because the beetle does little harm, most gardeners simply leave it alone.
20. Striped Cucumber Beetle
The striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum) has a yellow body with three black stripes. It is a pest of cucumbers, squash, melons, and pumpkins. Adults chew leaves and flowers, and they can spread bacterial wilt among cucurbit plants.
Home gardeners can use floating row covers until plants flower, and they can also pick off adults by hand in the morning. Gardeners in the Midwest face the same pest, which the types of beetles in Missouri article describes. The table below compares the cucumber beetles and corn rootworms you may see in Texas fields and gardens.
| Beetle | Appearance | Main Crops Affected |
|---|---|---|
| Striped Cucumber Beetle | Yellow with three black stripes | Cucumbers, squash, melons |
| Banded Cucumber Beetle | Green-yellow with bluish-green bands | Vegetables, field crops, ornamentals |
| Spotted Cucumber Beetle | Yellow-green with black spots | Corn, peanuts, vegetables |
| Northern Corn Rootworm | Pale green to tan | Corn |
21. Banded Cucumber Beetle
The banded cucumber beetle (Diabrotica balteata) is a greenish-yellow beetle with bluish-green bands across its wing covers. It is common in the warm southern states, so it is a regular visitor to Texas gardens. Adults feed on leaves, flowers, and young fruit of many plants.
The larvae feed on roots and can harm seedlings. Because the beetle has such a wide menu, it is hard to avoid by crop rotation alone. Clean-up of crop residue at the end of the season reduces overwintering sites.
For tips on identifying pests in your own county, Texas A&M’s Field Guide to Common Texas Insects is a good starting place.
22. Spotted Cucumber Beetle
The spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi) looks like a green-yellow ladybug with a dozen black spots and a dark head. Gardeners often mistake it for a beneficial lady beetle, but it eats plants rather than aphids. It feeds on beans, squash, corn silk, and many flowers.
Its larva is called the southern corn rootworm, and it attacks the roots of corn and peanuts. The adult is a strong flier and moves from field to field. Early-season scouting works best because beetles can be removed before they lay eggs.
Common Mistake: Spraying every spotted beetle that lands on a plant can kill helpful lady beetles. Check for a plain, rounded lady beetle shape with short legs and a smooth dome before reaching for any treatment.
23. Northern Corn Rootworm
The northern corn rootworm (Diabrotica barberi) is a small pale green to tan beetle, and it is mostly a concern in the northern Corn Belt. Its larvae feed on corn roots, which weakens the stalks and cuts yields. Texas sits at the southern edge of that range, so growers in northern parts of the state are the ones most likely to notice it.
Corn growers manage rootworms through crop rotation, resistant hybrids, and seed treatments. Adults feed on corn silks and pollen late in the summer. Ohio is a major corn state, so the types of beetles in Ohio article also covers this pest.
Local county extension offices of Texas A&M AgriLife can confirm the species and suggest a response for a specific field.
24. Sunflower Beetle
The sunflower beetle (Zygogramma exclamationis) is a small, rounded, tan beetle with dark stripes on its wing covers. It feeds on wild and cultivated sunflowers, and it is a familiar sight on roadside plants in late spring and summer. Adults and larvae both chew leaves.
Wild sunflowers are common across Texas ditches and prairies, so the beetle has plenty of hosts. Light feeding rarely harms mature plants. Heavy infestations on young plants in commercial fields can reduce yield, which is a bigger issue in the northern sunflower states such as Minnesota, as the types of beetles in Minnesota guide explains.
25. Mesquite Borer
The mesquite borer (Placosternus difficilis) is a longhorn beetle that lives in and on mesquite trees. Its mottled brown and gray body blends into bark, and its long antennae sweep back over its body. Adults are active in warm months and often rest on trunks.
The larvae tunnel through mesquite wood and can weaken stressed trees. Mesquite is among the signature trees of Texas brush country, so this beetle is a natural part of the ecosystem there. Texas Entomology’s longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) of Texas page is the place to compare it with similar species.
A healthy mesquite can tolerate some borers. Trees that lose lots of branches or show many exit holes may need an arborist to check for other problems.
26. Cactus Longhorn Beetle
Cactus longhorn beetles are in the genus Moneilema. They are stout, glossy black longhorns that live on prickly pear and cholla in the dry parts of Texas. Their bodies look heavy and compact, and the antennae are shorter than on most longhorn relatives.
Adults feed on cactus pads, and the larvae tunnel through the plant’s base and roots. Cacti usually survive light attack, but heavy damage can topple a plant. These beetles are often easier to spot in spring and early summer in West Texas and the Hill Country.
The larval tunnels also create shelter for other small animals, which makes the beetle part of the desert food web.
27. Ironclad Beetle
The ironclad beetle (Zopherus nodulosus haldemani) lives up to its name. Its exoskeleton is thick, rough, and extremely hard, and it cannot fly. According to A-Z Animals, the thick shell helps it retain water in desert conditions, and ironclad beetles live in northern Mexico and in east and central Texas.
When threatened, an ironclad pulls in its legs and plays dead. Collectors who try to pin one often need a drill because ordinary pins bend. Its slow life and sturdy armor make it a long-lived beetle that spends much of its time under bark and in rotting wood.
Texas Entomology includes the beetle on its Texas beetle information pages, and you can read more in A-Z Animals’ overview of Texas beetles.
28. Long-Necked Ground Beetle
The long-necked ground beetle (Colliuris pensylvanica) is a small, slender hunter with a narrow neck-like section behind the head. Texas Entomology lists it first among the ground beetles on its beetle information page. Its odd proportions make it easy to recognize once seen.
It lives in damp grass and leaf litter, where it hunts tiny insects at night and shelters under debris by day. Like many ground beetles, it is a natural pest controller in gardens and fields. Mulch and ground cover give it a place to hide.
That small predator completes a tour of Texas beetles, from glowing fireflies and armored ironclads to dung recyclers and garden pests. Anyone who wants to keep exploring can browse the Texas beetle database, or compare the state’s species with those in the types of beetles in Tennessee and types of beetles in Massachusetts guides. For a broader look at the insect world, see the article on different types of insects.