Who is a ground beetle: a garden helper or a pest

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There are a lot of different beetles in the world. Among the representatives of Coleoptera, there are species of predators and pests. One of the large families - Ground beetles, cause twofold impressions. Some say that they must be destroyed, others insist on the conservation of species.

Content

Ground beetles: photo
Description of ground beetles
general description
Common types of beetles
Conclusion

Ground beetles: photo

Ground beetle: photo.

Description of ground beetles

Name: Ground beetles
Latin: Carabidae
Class: Insects - Insecta
Squad: Coleoptera - Coleoptera

	Habitats:	everywhere, depending on the type
	Dangerous for:	insects and gastropods, there are pests
	Attitude towards people:	depending on the species, there are representatives of the Red Book and pests that are hunted

There are more than 50 tons of species of the Carabidae family, and more and more new representatives appear every year. Among the large family there are predators, pests and phytophages.

general description

Ground beetle.

These beetles are large, by the standards of insects, from 3 to 5 cm. The body is elongated, strong, there are wings. But ground beetles fly badly and even badly, some even move only with the help of their legs.

Shades can be very different, from black to bright, blue-green and purple shades. There are species with a mother-of-pearl tint and even bronze. Some individuals become victims of collectors.

Body structure

The proportions and sizes of the beetles change slightly, but the general structure is the same.

Head

It may be completely or halfway retracted into the prothorax, with a pair of eyes and jaws that have a different shape depending on the type of food. The antennae consist of 11 segments, glabrous or slightly covered with hair.

Chest

The shape of the pronotum differs depending on the type of beetle. It can be round or rectangular, slightly elongated. The shield is well developed.

Limbs

The legs are well developed, long and thin. There are 6 of them, like all insects. Consist of 5 segments, adapted for rapid movement, digging and climbing.

Wings and elytra

Wing development varies by species. Some of them are practically reduced. Elytra are hard, completely hide the abdomen, in some species they grow together along the seam.

Abdomen

Proportions and sexual characteristics depend on the sex and type of ground beetles. But in the majority, all individuals have 6-8 sternites and some hair.

Larvae

Caterpillars are less studied. They feed in the same way as adults, but live in the soil layer. Well developed jaws, antennae and legs. Some have reduced eyes.

Habitat and distribution

Ground beetle in the garden.

In a large family of ground beetles, there are species that live in different regions. The habitats are also different. Those species that live on plants and near water bodies are brightly colored. Most are dim.

Beetles mostly live in temperate climates. But they are found in the highlands, tundra, taiga, in the steppes and deserts. Depending on the species, they are found in temperate climates, but also in cold regions.

Among the family there are numerous representatives and those that are listed in the Red Book of the regions of Russia and Europe.

Lifestyle features

A large number of individuals differ from each other in their way of life. Most of them prefer moisture. But there are individuals that live in loose sands, drive and parasitize.

It is impossible to say for sure which view is diurnal or nocturnal. The line between the way of life is erased. The most important criterion for activity is humidity. With enough moisture, nocturnal ones can lead a daytime lifestyle.

Life cycle

The life span of these insects can reach 3 years. In warm regions, 2 generations appear per year. Reproduction begins with mating, which occurs in adults in the spring. Further:

females lay eggs in the soil;
The larva of the ground beetle.
after 1-3 weeks, depending on the species, a larva appears;
the caterpillar actively feeds and pupates;
the pupa is similar to an adult, in a special cradle;
the larva or imago can hibernate;
females do not care for offspring.

Food preferences and enemies of ground beetles

Depending on the species, ground beetles can be predators, which help people with household chores and pests. They do not pose an immediate danger to humans, but some species have a poisonous liquid that they splash out when they feel threatened.

In nature, beetles suffer from enemies. This:

fungi;
pincers;
hedgehogs;
shrews;

moles;
badgers;
foxes;
the bats;

reptiles;
owls;
spiders;
toads.

Common types of beetles

According to some data, from 2 to 3 thousand different species are found on the territory of Russia and its environs. Here are some of them.

Ground beetle rough

One of the most common species, which is also called the snail-eater. The name fully conveys the lifestyle of the beetle. At the first sign of danger, it gives out a jet of protective liquid, which is poisonous to many mammals. And food preferences are snails. A heat-loving animal can be with a purple or greenish tint.

Crimean ground beetle

This is a large predator that preys on various insects and invertebrates. The subspecies lives only in the mountainous regions of the peninsula and on the southern coast. A protected species that is a resident of many reserves. Shades and shapes are varied. The color can be blue, black, purple or green.

Caucasian ground beetle

The largest representative of ground beetles in Russia, but also one of the rarest. It occurs naturally in mountain steppes and along mountain ranges. The color can be bright, like that of the Crimean subspecies, but the shape of the pronotum is slightly different, narrowing towards the top. It feeds on gastropods, but does not mind eating worms and larvae.

grain beetle

This beetle is an agricultural pest. The length of the individual is 15-25 cm, the width of the back is 8 mm. A widespread species that causes great damage to plantings of wheat and other cereals. Harm adults and larvae that feed on young grains and green shoots. It is found throughout the subtropics and temperate regions.

Ground beetle

This subspecies is also called garden. Beetle dark bronze shade, medium size. A nocturnal inhabitant of many countries of Europe, Asia, it is almost everywhere found on the territory of Russia. The beetle lives in bedding, stones and litter, and is active at night. The garden beetle is an active predator that feeds on a number of insect pests, larvae, and invertebrates.

common golovach

This is a bigheaded ground beetle, a heat-loving subspecies that does not like places with high humidity. This predator goes hunting at night, during the day they are in holes that they themselves prepare. The color is completely black, there is no ebb. Distributed everywhere. Assistant in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle.

forest horse

A subspecies of ground beetles that prefers coniferous forests and wastelands. The sizes are small compared to their counterparts, according to the name they jump high. It looks interesting - the main shade is bronze-black, the bottom has a purple tint, there are several transverse stripes.

Six point quickie

One of the small representatives of the ground beetle species, but at the same time it is variegated and brightly colored. The head and back are blue or green, and the elytra are reddish. They live in the meadows of the European part of the Russian Federation. These representatives prey on small bugs and insects, and attack during the day.

Homophone bandaged

A small beetle with an unusual color. The main color is brown-yellow, and on the elytra there is a pattern in the form of discontinuous spots or jagged bands. Lives in sandy soil, near water bodies.

Coastal tinnik

It is also called coastal. A small beetle with a bronze-green tint, and on the elytra it is decorated with purple-silver blotches. They live in the European part of Russia, in swamps, on the banks of reservoirs and in floodplains. They make an unusual sound, similar to creaking, if they feel danger. Predatory, hunt during the day.

Conclusion

Ground beetles are a huge family of various beetles. There are species that are of great benefit by eating garden pests, and there are those that are such themselves. Some are especially attractive, but there are also plain black beetles. But each species has its own role.

GROUND BEELLS IN ACTIVITY! These small, aggressive and hungry bugs attack everyone!