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Larval beetles

Sickle/tusk-like jaws, no clawed prolegs, some with 2 tail filaments, some with tentacle-like abdominal gills. OR, mealworm-like larvae.
Larva of the Alligator weed flea beetle [Agasciles]. Image: Stephen Moore

Alligator weed flea beetle (Agasciles)

[Agasciles] is a beetle with a grub-like larva, having short legs and a large soft abdomen. The adults have a body shape similar to many ...

[Antiporus] larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Diving beetle (Antiporus)

[Antiporus] is one of the dytiscid “diving beetles” having larvae and adults that are active swimmers. The larvae have a spoon-like “nose...

[Hyphydrus] larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Diving beetle (Hyphydrus)

[Hyphydrus] is one of the dytiscid “diving beetles” having larvae and adults that are active swimmers. The larvae have a spoon-like “nose...

[Liodessus] larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Diving beetle (Liodessus)

[Liodessus] is one of the dytiscid “diving beetles” having larvae and adults that are active swimmers. The larvae have a short cone-like ...

[Onychohydrus] larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Diving beetle (Onychohydrus)

[Onychohydrus] is a dytiscid “diving beetle” with very large larvae (up to 50mm) and adults that are active swimmers. The larvae have a d...

[Rhantus] larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Diving beetle (Rhantus)

[Rhantus] is one of the dytiscid “diving beetles” having larvae and adults that are active swimmers. The larvae lack any nose-like projec...

Marsh beetle (Scirtidae) larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Marsh beetles (Scirtidae)

Scirtids are beetles with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. The larvae may have an elongated (almost elmid-like) body form, or they ...

Riffle beetle (Elmidae) larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Riffle beetles (Elmidae)

Elmids are small beetles with long, slender, mealworm-like larvae. The larvae have retractile hooks and gill tufts under the last (9th) a...

Toe-winged beetle (Ptilodactylidae) larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Toe-winged beetles (Ptilodactylidae)

Ptilodactylids are beetles with long, mealworm-like larvae that live in streams, but the adults are terrestrial. The larvae have a simila...

[Berosus] larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Water scavenger beetle (Berosus)

[Berosus] is a hydrophilid beetle with an easily recognised larva that has tentacle-like gills along the abdomen. As in other hydrophilid...

Water scavenger beetle (Hydrophilidae) larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Water scavenger beetle (Hydrophilidae)

Hydrophilid beetles (or water scavenger beetles) have larvae with soft abdomens that may be covered in bumps or long gills (see [Berosus]...

[Gyrinus] larva. Image: Stephen Moore

Whirlygig beetle (Gyrinus)

[Gyrinus] is known as the “Whirlygig beetle” which reflects the chaotic swimming motion of the adults on the water surface. The streamlin...