Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#18604
Lebia ornata? - Lebia ornata

Lebia ornata? - Lebia ornata
Boxborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA
May 27, 2005
Size: 5mm
Looks similar to the Cedar Creek site, the markings are right, but the color if off, and the end of the abdomen on mine is marked differently.

Thank you Robin & Eric.
I have renamed my photos (not on bugguide.net) of this species. The millimeter rule in the photos shows length to be 5 mm, and the shapes and markings agree as well. It's Lebia ornata.

Bembidion quadrimaculatum
Is what I have for this species in my files. See www.colby.edu/MES/ CarabidPhotoPage.html

 
Bembidion vs. Lebia
The U. of Maine page gives a maximum length of 3.7 mm for Bembidion quadrimaculatum but this CBIF page gives a length of 5 mm for Lebia ornata. Compare images of both species here.
Some differences I noticed between the two:
In L. ornata the abdomen has a squarish shape and its widest part is at least twice as wide as the thorax, the posterior spots on the elytra are closer to the midline than the lateral edges, and are less than half the size of the anterior spots, and the tip of the abdomen protrudes beyond the elytra.
In B. quadrimaculatum the abdomen is more oval-shaped and its widest part is less than twice as wide as the thorax, the posterior spots on the elytra are closer to the lateral edges than the midline, and are more than half the size of the anterior spots, and the tip of the abdomen doesn't protrude beyond the elytra.
I have a poor-quality shot taken in New Brunswick that matches the description for L. ornata and looks virtually identical to Tom's photos. I estimate its length at no less than 5 mm, which is larger than the largest B. quadrimaculatum.

 
Bembidion quadrimaculatum?
The black coloration and the markings look good for Bembidion quadrimaculatum, but I'm seeing the abdomen sticking out beyond the elytra. These IDs can be confusing with all the subtleties and variations. I'm confused.

 
Maybe it's the darned taxonomists again!
So many things are running around with two names, and two groups of defenders no doubt.

Lebia ornata
I think the light reflections on the Cedar Creek image obscure the spots near the tip of the elytra; the spots show up better on the CBIF image.

 
Lebia ornata
Thanks for the confirmation Robin.

 
Lebia vs. Bembidion.
Duh! Wrote this not having read Robin's initial post. Mild redundancy ahead...:-) I agree with the Lebia diagnosis on this specimen. Note the truncated elytra (squared-off wing covers), one characteristic of Lebia, but not Bembidion. I also think the shape of the pronotum does not agree with Bembidion. Lastly, habitat is key. Lebia are much more likely to be encountered on foliage well above ground, often in the forest understory. Bembidion are abundant on the ground, especially near rivers and streams where the shore is muddy or at least very damp.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.