Skip to main content

Hydrophilidae

Pronunciation:  [Hy·dro⋅PHIL⋅i·dae]

Common Name:  Water Scavenger Beetles

Description:    Hydrophilids are typically brown or black in color.  They can be recognized by the mid-ventral spine that extends just past the hind legs.  They also have very short, clubbed antennae and unusually long maxillary palps.   Adults feed as scavengers on dead vegetation; the larvae are predators.

Spot ID Key Characters:

  1. Terminal segments of antennae moderately clubbed
  2. Maxillary palps longer than antennae
  3. Mid-ventral spine forms a “keel” along underside of thorax

Return To:

Order:  Coleoptera

Picture Gallery: