Under the fallen leaves

Thanks to my two border collie that like digging holes in the forest I found this Carabus nemoralis (commonly called the "Bronze Carabid"). This beetle is mainly nocturnal, most active from March - December, and especially in late summer. When resting it is found under stones and logs.

It can run fast and is a beneficial voracious predator as it eats the agricultural pest like snails, slugs, in its young stage and also its eggs and many other invertebrates. Use of Carabus nemoralis as a biocontrol agent for multiple pests in large scale farming operations have been tested in recent years.

It is a ground beetle common in central and northern Europe, as well as Iceland. While native to Europe, it has been introduced to and is expanding its range throughout North America.

There are over 25,000 species of Carabids (ground beetles) world wide of which 2,600 species in Europe. The color of the elytra (wing cases) of Carabus nemoralis, here green, can also be dark, brown or with a copper sheen and always contains irregular ridges and three lines of pores down each elytron. The one pictured here is a male because its forelegs show larger tarsal parts than in females’ forelegs.