Carabus glabratus

Smooth ground beetle ( Carabus glabratus )

The Smooth ground beetle ( Carabus glabratus ) is a beetle of the family of ground beetles ( Carabidae ).

Features

The beetles are 22-35 mm long and have a dark blue to black, matt finish body. The oval, strongly curved wing covers are but ungestreift very finely rugose. The pronotum is 1.5 times wider than long and has upturned edges. The sternites of the abdomen have a minor groove, respectively. The similar Violet ground beetle (C. violaceus ) differs from Smooth beetles by the different color of the edge of the elytra and by the penultimate Labialpalpenglied wearing only two bristles.

Similar Species

• Violet ground beetle ( Carabus violaceus )

Occurrence

The animals arrive in Europe before east to the Urals. To the north extends its distribution into the Arctic Circle. They live in sparse moist deciduous and mixed forests, on the banks of forest streams and in forest bogs. They are found on dead wood and moss. They come from plains to about 2,000 meters high from July to October before.

Way of life

The adults are nocturnal in the first place, but they come out in rainy day. They feed on prey on small animals such as insects, worms and snails. The larvae molt three times before they pupate in a hole in the ground. Both the larvae, as well as the old Beetles overwinter among moss, or in dead wood cracks and tree stumps.