| Carabidae |
More than 350 spp. 2-30mm. Antennae 11 segmented, filiform, inserted laterally
between eyes and mandibles, variously setose and pubescent. Tarsi 5-5-5, usually simple although male often
with protarsi dilated basally (but see Demetrias.) Head, thorax and elytra usually with discrete sensory setae. Hind
trochanters are always large and project backwards behind the femurs, a character easily seen even with a card mounted specimen.
A careful count of tarsal segments will eliminate most species likely to be confused with Carabids.
Omaliine Staphylinids, where the elytra almost cover the abdomen and may do so completely in carded specimens, possess
distinct ocelli.
Pterostichus madidus (Fab.), very likely to be encountered almost immediately by anybody embarking
upon a study of Coleoptera, is as typical a Carabid as any. Some idea of the range of variation is given below but there also
specialised forms e.g. Omophron, Cicindela and Calosoma.
Found in most situations; arable land and pasture, moors and heaths, many species under bark and logs
in woodland and often huge numbers among waterside vegetation. At least two species, Oodes helopoides and Carabus clathratus
live underwater among vegetation. Pitfall trapping is usually very productive, searching parkland pathways with a torch
on warm spring and summer evenings can reveal large numbers. M.V. light on a vertical sheet and interception nets
often give good results.
For an excellent discussion of Carabid biology and ecology see Forsythe, 2000
|
| Omophroninae |
Our only species, Omophron limbatum Fab.
(5-6mm) is quite unlike any other carabid; a medium sized yellowish brown beetle with
metallic green markings to pronotum and elytra, almost circular and with the scutellum hidden by the basal margin
of the pronotum. First recorded from Rye harbour, Sussex in 1969 (Farrow, 1971), it is now a very local insect of
flooded gravel pit margins around the Sussex and Kent borders, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Farrow, R.A. and Lewis, E.S. 1971 Ent.Mon.Mag. (1970) 106:219-221
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| Cicindelinae |
Commonly known as Tiger beetles our five species are all of
distinctive appearance; medium sized (9-18mm) metallic species with long slender legs, large eyes and long, toothed mandibles
which are crossed when at rest. Unique among carabids in having the antennae inserted on the upper surface of the head
within the base of the mandibles. Identified by its elongate pronotum, Cylindera germanica L. is a local
coastal species of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The species rarely flies. Our four species of Cicindela
run fast and fly readily in pursuit of prey. Only C. campestris L. is at all widespread.
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| Brachininae |
Commonly known as Bombardier beetles due to their specialised
defence mechanism; they are able to direct a spray of corrosive liquid and vapour from the abdomen towards a
potential threat. Although charcterised by the number of visible abdominal sternites, seven in the female and
eight in the male as opposed to six in the carabininae, they are readily recognised on general appearance.
Brachinus crepitans (L.) (6-9mm), our only resident species, is light reddish brown but for the dark
metallic blue or green elytra and has the entire upper surface finely pubescent. It is a very local insect of
grassland and open wasteland throughout southern England and southern Wales. Our other species, B.sclopeta (Fab.),
is a very occasional immigrant with recent records (2005) from the London area. It is smaller than crepitans
with the base of the elytral suture broadly red.
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| Carabininae |
| Carabininae includes the vast majority of our species and is divided
into a number of tribes |
| Carabiini |
| Cychrini |
| Nebriini |
| Notiophilini |
| Elaphrini |
| Loricerini |
| Scaritini and Broscini |
| Trechini |
| Bembidiini |
| Pogonini |
| Patrobini |
| Pterostichini |
| Sphodrini |
| Platynini |
| Zabrini |
| Harpalini |
Harpalini includes eleven British genera, all of which have
only one supra-orbital puncture, a pubescent third antennal segment and most species lack a seta on the
pronotal hind angle. Our two species of Dicheirotrichus (5.2-7.5mm) are maritime, D.gustavi Crotch
being widespread. They lack a scutellar stria and the entire surface is punctate and pubescent. Our two
Trichocellus spp. (3.5-5.5mm) also lack a scutellar stria but here the elytra are pubescent only laterally.
T.placidus (Gyll.) is widespread while T.cognatus (Gyll.) is a northern species. Scybalicus oblongiusculus (Dj.)
(11-13mm) resembles a large Ophonus but with transverse elytral microsculpture and completely pubescent
antennae. It is a very rare species with only a few southeastern records. Diachromus germanicus (L.) (7.5-10mm)
is a distinctly coloured species with head and elytra base brown, pronotum and apical marks on elytra metallic
blue/black and pale appendages. Presumed extinct until a few recent occurrences in the southeast. Our
Bradycellus species are small (2.5-5.2mm), convex beetles with pale appendages and glabrous elytra lacking
distinct microsculpture. Most occur in dry habitats and several are widespread and often abundant. Two other
genera of small carabids are distinguished from Bradycellus by the darkened apical antennal segments;
Stenolophus spp. exceed 5mm while Acupalpus never exceed 4.5mm. With the exception of A.meridionalis (L.)
species of both genera occur in wetland or damp habitats. Several are common and widely distributed.
Anthracus consputus (Duft.) (3.8-5mm), formerly included in Acupalpus, is distinguished by the
sinuate lateral margins and sharp hind angles to the pronotum. It is a local and scarce insect in southern England,
Wales and the midlands. Thirteen species of Ophonus (5.2-17mm) occur in Britain, formerly included in Harpalus
but distinct in having the head, pronotum and elytra punctate and pubescent. The genus presents difficulties with
identification and dissection is often necessary. Most species are local or very local, only O.puncticeps Stephens
and O.rufibarbis (Fab.) being at all common, at least in the south. Twenty species of Harpalus
occur in Britain, like Amara they are mostly vegetarian, occurring in open, dry habitats and many are
nocturnal. Apart from H.affinis Sch. and
H.rufipes DG. they are seldom seen and are most easily found
by pitfalling. Medium sized beetles (5-16mm), mostly with glabrous elytra (but see H.rufipes DG.), third
elytral interstice with at least one puncture and antennae pubescent from third segment. Distinguished from the
superficially similar Anisodactylus in having the apical metatibial spur at least as long as the first tarsomere.
In our three species of Anisodactylus this spur is much shorter than the first tarsomere. Only A.binotatus (Fab.)
is widespread and common, being found in wetland and damp habitats.
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| Chlaenini |
| Oodini |
| Licinini |
| Panagaeini |
| Perigonini |
| Masoreini |
| Lebiini |
| Odacanthini |
| Dryptini |
| Zuphiini |
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| Omophroninae |
Omophron
limbatum |
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| Cicindelinae |
Cicindela
campestris |
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Cylindera
germanica |
Cylindera
germanica |
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| Brachininae |
Brachinus |
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| Carabiini |
Carabus
granulatus |
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Carabus
nemoralis |
Carabus
nemoralis |
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Carabus
problematicus |
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Carabus
violaceus |
Carabus
violaceus |
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| Cychrini |
Cychrus
caraboides |
Cychrus
caraboides |
Cychrus
caraboides |
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| Nebriini |
Leistus
fulvibarbis |
Leistus
spinibarbis |
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Nebria
brevicollis |
Nebria
brevicollis |
Nebria
brevicollis |
Nebria
brevicollis |
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Nebria
salina |
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| Notiophilini |
Notiophilus
aesthuans |
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Notiophilus
aquaticus |
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Notiophilus
biguttatus |
Notiophilus
biguttatus |
Notiophilus
biguttatus |
Notiophilus
biguttatus |
Notiophilus
biguttatus |
Notiophilus
germinyi |
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Notiophilus
palustris |
Notiophilus
palustris |
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Notiophilus
quadripunctatus |
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Notiophilus
rufipes |
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Notiophilus
substriatus |
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| Elaphrini |
Elaphrus
cupreus |
Elaphrus
cupreus |
Elaphrus
cupreus |
Elaphrus
cupreus |
Elaphrus
cupreus |
Elaphrus
lapponicus |
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Elaphrus
riparius |
Elaphrus
riparius |
Elaphrus
riparius |
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Elaphrus
uliginosus |
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| Loricerini |
Loricera
pilicornis |
Loricera
pilicornis |
Loricera
pilicornis |
Loricera
pilicornis |
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| Scaritini |
Clivina
fossor |
Clivina
fossor |
Clivina
fossor |
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| Broscini |
Broscus |
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| Trechini |
Trechus
quadristriatus |
Trechus
quadristriatus |
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Perileptus |
Thalassophilus |
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| Bembidiini |
Asaphidion
curtum |
Asaphidion
curtum |
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Bembidion
articulatum |
Bembidion
articulatum |
Bembidion
articulatum |
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Bembidion
biguttatum |
Bembidion
biguttatum |
Bembidion
biguttatum |
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Bembidion
dentellum |
Bembidion
dentellum |
Bembidion
dentellum |
Bembidion
dentellum |
Bembidion
dentellum |
Bembidion
doris |
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Bembidion
guttula |
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Bembidion
lampros |
Bembidion
lampros |
Bembidion
lampros |
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Bembidion
lunulatum |
Bembidion
lunulatum |
Bembidion
lunulatum |
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Bembidion
obtusum |
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Bembidion
quadrimaculatum |
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Bembidion
tetracolum |
Bembidion
tetracolum |
Bembidion
tetracolum |
Bembidion
tetracolum |
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Bembidion
varium |
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Ocys
harpaloides |
Ocys
harpaloides |
Ocys
harpaloides |
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| Pogonini |
Pogonus |
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| Patrobini |
Patrobus
atrorufus |
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| Pterostichini |
Abax
parallelepipedus |
Abax
parallelepipedus |
Poecilus
cupreus |
Poecilus
cupreus |
Poecilus
versicolor |
Pterostichus
cristatus |
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Pterostichus
madidus |
Pterostichus
madidus |
Pterostichus
madidus |
Pterostichus
madidus |
Pterostichus
madidus |
Pterostichus
melanarius |
Pterostichus
melanarius |
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Pterostichus
minor |
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Pterostichus
niger |
Pterostichus
niger |
Pterostichus
niger |
Pterostichus
niger |
Pterostichus
niger |
Pterostichus
nigrita |
Pterostichus
nigrita |
Pterostichus
nigrita |
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Pterostichus
oblongopunctatus |
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Pterostichus
strenuus |
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Stomis
pumicatus |
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| Sphodrini |
Calathus
fuscipes |
Calathus
fuscipes |
Calathus
fuscipes |
Calathus
fuscipes |
Calathus
fuscipes |
Calathus
melanocephalus |
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Calathus
rotundicollis |
Calathus
rotundicollis |
Calathus
rotundicollis |
Calathus
rotundicollis |
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Platyderus
depressus |
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| Platynini |
Agonum
marginatum |
Agonum
muelleri |
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Agonum
thoreyi |
Agonum
thoreyi |
Agonum
thoreyi |
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Anchomenus
dorsalis |
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Paranchus
albipes |
Paranchus
albipes |
Paranchus
albipes |
Paranchus
albipes |
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Platynus
assimilis |
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| Zabrini |
Amara
aenea |
Amara
aenea |
Amara
aenea |
Amara
aenea |
Amara
aenea |
Amara
apricaria |
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Amara
bifrons |
Amara
bifrons |
Amara
bifrons |
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Amara
communis |
Amara
communis |
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Amara
convexior |
Amara
convexior |
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Amara
familiaris |
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Amara
lunicollis |
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Amara
ovata |
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Amara
plebeja |
Amara
plebeja |
Amara
plebeja |
Amara
plebeja |
Amara
plebeja |
Amara
similata |
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Curtonotus
aulicus |
Curtonotus
aulicus |
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Zabrus
tenebrioides |
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| Harpalini |
Acupalpus
dubius |
Acupalpus
dubius |
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Acupalpus
exiguus |
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Acupalpus
meridianus |
Acupalpus
meridianus |
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Acupalpus
parvulus |
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Anthracus
consputus |
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Bradycellus
verbasci |
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Harpalus
affinis |
Harpalus
affinis |
Harpalus
affinis |
Harpalus
affinis |
Harpalus
affinis |
Harpalus
latus |
Harpalus
rubripes |
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Harpalus
rufipes |
Harpalus
rufipes |
Harpalus
rufipes |
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Ophonus
ardosiacus |
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Ophonus
puncticeps |
Ophonus
puncticeps |
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Ophonus
rufibarbis |
Ophonus
rufibarbis |
Ophonus
rufibarbis |
Ophonus
rufibarbis |
Ophonus
rufibarbis |
Stenolophus
mixtus |
Trichocellus
placidus |
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| Chlaeniini |
Chlaenius
vestitus |
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| Oodini |
Oodes
helopioides |
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| Licinini |
Badister
bullatus |
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| Panagaeini |
Panagaeus
bipustulatus |
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| Perigonini |
| Masoreini |
| Lebiini |
Demetrias
atricapillus |
Demetrias
atricapillus |
Demetrias
atricapillus |
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Dromius
quadrimaculatus |
Dromius
quadrimaculatus |
Dromius
quadrimaculatus |
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Lebia
chlorocephala |
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Microlestes
minutulus |
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Paradromius
linearis |
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Syntomus
foveatus |
Syntomus
foveatus |
Syntomus
foveatus |
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Syntomus
obscuroguttatus |
Syntomus
obscuroguttatus |
Syntomus
obscuroguttatus |
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| Odacanthini |
Odacantha
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| Dryptini |
| Zuphiini |
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