In general, adults and larvae overwinter in the ground, becoming active in the spring. Adult females dig burrows and lay eggs around the base of host plants. Eggs hatch within a few weeks and larvae develop through several molts over a period of time from several months to over 4 years. They pupate in the cells within the soil in late summer or fall, and emerge as adults a few weeks thereafter. Generations can greatly overlap.
Mouthparts are for chewing.
They also tunnel into potato and sweetpotato tubers. Larvae of some species, such as the eyed click beetle, occur in dead trees and rotting stumps and logs. Adults can be attracted to lights or to sugar baits smeared on trees and fence posts. They can also be collected with a sweep net from flowers, leaves and stems or by looking under bark of decaying trees and in soil. Larvae of soil dwelling species can be attracted to seeds or cereals placed in holes in the soil or found by tilling soil.