Carabus granulatus

Description

Carabus granulatus is a species of beetle. It is found across the Palearctic from Ireland to the Russian Far East and has been introduced to North America.It is widespread in Europe. C. granulatus lives in fields, prairies, taiga and in forests. Also along river margins, in fens, lakeshores, and upland peat. It is occasional in gardens. It is a small Carabus (length between 14 and 20 mm), winged and characterized by an elongated body which is not very convex and an enlarged thorax. The antennae and the legs are black, the upper part of the animal shiny, predominantly greenish bronze, green or occasionally black. The elytra are subparallel with "chain link" (longitudinal grooves with granules). Carabus granulatus is one of the very few species of ground beetles that have not completely lost their ability to fly, only the mountain forms are short-winged. Nevertheless, the nocturnal animals generally remain on the ground, where they prey on insects, worms and snails. During the day they hide under tree trunks or stones. From autumn to spring, the animals often spend the winter together in tree stumps. The females lay about forty eggs. The larvae moult three times before pupating in the ground. The adult beetles hatch in autumn. Carabus is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae. The vast majority are native to the Palearctic, but 11 Nearctic species are also known. Carabus spp. are 12–50 mm (0.47–1.97 in) long, and most species are wingless and often very colourful. These are nocturnal, predatory beetles that feed on snails, earthworms, and caterpillars.