Bug FAQTule Beetle
Tanystoma maculicolle · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Carabidae
Source: Wikipedia
The tule beetle is also called the overflow bug or grease bug. It is very common in southern Oregon and most of California, especially in the Central Valley agricultural areas. These beetles sometimes wander into houses.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
People also refer to it as the overflow bug or grease bug.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
The beetle sometimes invades homes in the Central Valley.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It lives in southern Oregon and much of California.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 6 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, New Jersey, Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What are other names for the tule beetle?
It is also known as the overflow bug and grease bug.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Carabidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanystoma_maculicolle
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.