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
Chlaenini
Oodini
Licinini
Panagaeini
Perigonini
Masoreini
Lebiini
Odacanthini
Dryptini
Zuphiini
    Our single species, Polistichus connexus Fourcroy, (8-10mm) is a very local species of the southeastern coast. Here the antennae are entirely pubescent with the basal segment enlarged, being longer than the second and third combined. With pale appendages and elongate pale brown macula on an otherwise dark beetle it is a striking species.

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Omophroninae

Omophron
limbatum
 
Cicindelinae

Cicindela
campestris

Cylindera
germanica

Cylindera
germanica
Brachininae

Brachinus
Carabiini

Carabus
granulatus

Carabus
nemoralis

Carabus
nemoralis

Carabus
problematicus

Carabus
violaceus

Carabus
violaceus
Cychrini

Cychrus
caraboides

Cychrus
caraboides

Cychrus
caraboides
Nebriini

Leistus
fulvibarbis

Leistus
spinibarbis

Nebria
brevicollis

Nebria
brevicollis

Nebria
brevicollis

Nebria
brevicollis

Nebria
salina
Notiophilini

Notiophilus
aesthuans

Notiophilus
aquaticus

Notiophilus
biguttatus

Notiophilus
biguttatus

Notiophilus
biguttatus

Notiophilus
biguttatus

Notiophilus
biguttatus

Notiophilus
germinyi

Notiophilus
palustris

Notiophilus
palustris

Notiophilus
quadripunctatus

Notiophilus
rufipes

Notiophilus
substriatus
Elaphrini

Elaphrus
cupreus

Elaphrus
cupreus

Elaphrus
cupreus

Elaphrus
cupreus

Elaphrus
cupreus

Elaphrus
lapponicus

Elaphrus
riparius

Elaphrus
riparius

Elaphrus
riparius

Elaphrus
uliginosus
Loricerini

Loricera
pilicornis

Loricera
pilicornis

Loricera
pilicornis

Loricera
pilicornis
Scaritini

Clivina
fossor

Clivina
fossor

Clivina
fossor
Broscini

Broscus
Trechini

Trechus
quadristriatus

Trechus
quadristriatus

Perileptus

Thalassophilus
Bembidiini

Asaphidion
curtum

Asaphidion
curtum

Bembidion
articulatum

Bembidion
articulatum

Bembidion
articulatum

Bembidion
biguttatum

Bembidion
biguttatum

Bembidion
biguttatum

Bembidion
dentellum

Bembidion
dentellum

Bembidion
dentellum

Bembidion
dentellum

Bembidion
dentellum

Bembidion
doris

Bembidion
guttula

Bembidion
lampros

Bembidion
lampros

Bembidion
lampros

Bembidion
lunulatum

Bembidion
lunulatum

Bembidion
lunulatum

Bembidion
obtusum

Bembidion
quadrimaculatum

Bembidion
tetracolum

Bembidion
tetracolum

Bembidion
tetracolum

Bembidion
tetracolum

Bembidion
varium

Ocys
harpaloides

Ocys
harpaloides

Ocys
harpaloides
Pogonini

Pogonus
Patrobini

Patrobus
atrorufus
Pterostichini

Abax
parallelepipedus

Abax
parallelepipedus

Poecilus
cupreus

Poecilus
cupreus

Poecilus
versicolor

Pterostichus
cristatus

Pterostichus
madidus

Pterostichus
madidus

Pterostichus
madidus

Pterostichus
madidus

Pterostichus
madidus

Pterostichus
melanarius

Pterostichus
melanarius

Pterostichus
minor

Pterostichus
niger

Pterostichus
niger

Pterostichus
niger

Pterostichus
niger

Pterostichus
niger

Pterostichus
nigrita

Pterostichus
nigrita

Pterostichus
nigrita

Pterostichus
oblongopunctatus

Pterostichus
strenuus

Stomis
pumicatus
Sphodrini

Calathus
fuscipes

Calathus
fuscipes

Calathus
fuscipes

Calathus
fuscipes

Calathus
fuscipes

Calathus
melanocephalus

Calathus
rotundicollis

Calathus
rotundicollis

Calathus
rotundicollis

Calathus
rotundicollis

Platyderus
depressus
Platynini

Agonum
marginatum

Agonum
muelleri

Agonum
thoreyi

Agonum
thoreyi

Agonum
thoreyi

Anchomenus
dorsalis

Paranchus
albipes

Paranchus
albipes

Paranchus
albipes

Paranchus
albipes

Platynus
assimilis
Zabrini

Amara
aenea

Amara
aenea

Amara
aenea

Amara
aenea

Amara
aenea

Amara
apricaria

Amara
bifrons

Amara
bifrons

Amara
bifrons

Amara
communis

Amara
communis

Amara
convexior

Amara
convexior

Amara
familiaris

Amara
lunicollis

Amara
ovata

Amara
plebeja

Amara
plebeja

Amara
plebeja

Amara
plebeja

Amara
plebeja

Amara
similata

Curtonotus
aulicus

Curtonotus
aulicus

Zabrus
tenebrioides
Harpalini

Acupalpus
dubius

Acupalpus
dubius

Acupalpus
exiguus

Acupalpus
meridianus

Acupalpus
meridianus

Acupalpus
parvulus

Anthracus
consputus

Bradycellus
verbasci

Harpalus
affinis

Harpalus
affinis

Harpalus
affinis

Harpalus
affinis

Harpalus
affinis

Harpalus
latus

Harpalus
rubripes

Harpalus
rufipes

Harpalus
rufipes

Harpalus
rufipes

Ophonus
ardosiacus

Ophonus
puncticeps

Ophonus
puncticeps

Ophonus
rufibarbis

Ophonus
rufibarbis

Ophonus
rufibarbis

Ophonus
rufibarbis

Ophonus
rufibarbis

Stenolophus
mixtus

Trichocellus
placidus
Chlaeniini

Chlaenius
vestitus
Oodini

Oodes
helopioides
Licinini

Badister
bullatus
Panagaeini

Panagaeus
bipustulatus
Perigonini
Masoreini
Lebiini

Demetrias
atricapillus

Demetrias
atricapillus

Demetrias
atricapillus

Dromius
quadrimaculatus

Dromius
quadrimaculatus

Dromius
quadrimaculatus

Lebia
chlorocephala

Microlestes
minutulus

Paradromius
linearis

Syntomus
foveatus

Syntomus
foveatus

Syntomus
foveatus

Syntomus
obscuroguttatus

Syntomus
obscuroguttatus

Syntomus
obscuroguttatus
Odacanthini

Odacantha
Dryptini
Zuphiini
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