Female |
Abundant throughout Britain although less so in northern Scotland,
the most frequently recorded Carabid in the BRC recording scheme. Occurs in almost every habitat but especially common
in woodland and parkland, garden pitfall traps will usually contain madidus. Searching pathways nocturnally in
Cassiobury park on warm spring and summer evenings will produce hundreds of specimens, but numbers drop very sharply
during August recovering, but to nowhere near their summer abundance, during late September. Also common among
grass and under debris on dry moorland. Autumn and spring breeding sometimes found under logs in woodland or under debris
elsewhere during the winter. At higher altitudes the life cycle is biennial; all adults overwinter before breeding.
13-17mm. Very distinctive and soon recognised in the field. Black with legs dark or sometimes red (concinnus Sturm.)
Pronotum with hind angles rounded, a character which will separate madidus from other similar sized Carabids
e.g. P.nigrita, P.niger, P.melanarius
etc. Basal fovea with blunt external ridge. Elytra rounded giving the species a charateristic
appearance, with a single dorsal puncture (rarely 2), all striae well impressed and very finely punctate, intervals almost flat.
Male protarsal segments dilated and last abdominal sternite with transverse carina.
Description from 4 Watford specimens at X20
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