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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Ground and Water Beetles (Adephaga) » Ground Beetles (Carabidae) » Carabinae » Carabini » Caterpillar Hunters (Calosoma) » Subgenus Calosoma (Calosoma Subgenus Calosoma) » Fiery Searcher (Calosoma scrutator)

Species Calosoma scrutator - Fiery Searcher

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
big green beetle - Calosoma - Calosoma scrutator big beetle - Calosoma scrutator Colorful beetle - Calosoma scrutator Firery Searcher, one more pic of the same sexy beetle. - Calosoma scrutator Unknown large green beetle - Calosoma scrutator Fiery Searcher (Calosoma scrutator) - Calosoma scrutator Fiery Searcher Beetle - Calosoma scrutator Carabidae, Calosoma Scrutator ? - Calosoma scrutator
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Adephaga (Ground and Water Beetles)
Family Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Subfamily Carabinae
Tribe Carabini
Genus Calosoma (Caterpillar Hunters)
No Taxon (Subgenus Calosoma)
Species scrutator (Fiery Searcher)
Other Common Names
The Searcher
Caterpillar Hunter
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Calosoma scrutator (Fabricius, 1775)
Size
25-35 mm; Dillon & Dillon (1) give 25-30 mm
Identification
Large; elytra bright green with red/gold border; pronotum purple. Calosoma wilcoxi is very similar but smaller, at 18-26 mm (Dillon & Dillon (1) give 16-20 mm for C. wilcoxi).
Range
Most of continental United States and southern Canada
Habitat
Open areas: fields, gardens, orchards, but often near deciduous forests
Season
Typically April-November, most commonly found in spring. Reported in references: May-September (North Carolina), March-November (South Carolina).
Food
Adults and larvae prey on caterpillars. Adults will climb trees in search of their prey.
Life Cycle
Life cycle is one year, but adults long-lived, reported to live for up to three years. Adults attracted to lights. Eggs are laid singly in soil. Larvae pupate in earthen cells. Adults can overwinter. (2)
Remarks
One of the most beautiful North American beetles.
See Also
Calosoma wilcoxi is very similar but smaller (Dillon & Dillon (1) give 16-20 mm); compare both species and several others at CBIF
Print References
Arnett, pp. 74-75, fig. 197 (3)
Ciegler, p. 28 (4)
Deyrup, pp. 90-91, two photos (5)
Dillon & Dillon, p. 66, plate VII #5 (1)
Milne, p. 537, fig. 209 (2)
Papp, p. 45, fig. 125 (6)
Salsbury, p. 165--photo (7)
White, p. 45, fig. 27 (8)
Internet References
Clemson University
Ground Beetles of Canada
Works Cited
1.A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America
By Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence
2.National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders
By Lorus and Margery Milne
3.How to Know the Beetles
By Ross H. Arnett, N. M. Downie, H. E. Jaques
4.Ground Beetles and Wrinkled Bark Beetles of South Carolina
By Janet Ciegler
5.Florida's Fabulous Insects
By Mark Deyrup, Brian Kenney, Thomas C. Emmel
6.Introduction to North American Beetles
By Charles S. Papp
7.Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White
8.Peterson Field Guides: Beetles
By Richard E. White
Contributed by Cotinis on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod
Last updated 23 April, 2011 - 10:53pm

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