Ground Beetles - Carabidae

There are several hundred species of Ground Beetle in Europe and most of them are black. A few species are metallic. They are nocturnal, although the metallic species tend to be active by day also. Many of them have fused wing cases and cannot fly. They eat a wide range of invertebrates, carrion and plant material. They tend to be long lived and hibernate through the winter.

A typical Ground Beetle, Harpalus sp, photographed in March
and identified by Cédric Alonso of Le Monde des Insectes.

Golden Ground Beetle Carabus auratus:
A large greeny gold species found in fields and gardens. Very fast moving and active, they prey on earthworms, insects and snails. They will eat garden pests such as Colorado Potato Beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata. This one was photographed in a garden near le Grand Pressigny.