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BugGuide Gathering
Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
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Genus Chlaenius - Vivid Metallic Ground Beetles

Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Adephaga (Ground and Water Beetles)
Family Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Subfamily Harpalinae
Tribe Chlaenini
Genus Chlaenius (Vivid Metallic Ground Beetles)
Numbers
Nearctica.com lists 51 species.
Arnett, p. 391, lists 50 species. (1)
Size
8-23 mm
Identification
They are covered with hairs that lie flat.(4)

Some images showing these characteristics:


Reported to smell foul when disturbed (like leather), therefore probably have strong chemical defenses, like many in this family.
Range
Much of North America? Perhaps 20 species in east.
Habitat
Usually moist areas, some semiaquatic.
Season
Typically spring-early summer, again in late summer-fall.
Food
Predatory.
Life Cycle
Some species lay eggs in mud cells place on underside of leaves or twigs. Cell morphology can be distinctive for a species. Presumably most species have one generation per year, with adults overwintering to breed in spring. Come to lights.
Print References
Ciegler, pp. 78-82, describes and keys 18 spp. (2)
Dillon, p. 109 (key to 9 spp.), plate XII, XIII--Anomoglossus (now in Chlaenius?) (3)
Arnett, et al., pp. 99-100, figs. 255-258 (5)
White, p. 92, fig. 30, lists circa 40 spp. (6)
Brimley, p. 126 (7)
Swan and Papp, pp. 344-345, figs. 568-570 (8)
Papp, p. 53, figs. 148-151 (9)
Works Cited
1.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
By Ross H. Arnett
2.Ground Beetles and Wrinkled Bark Beetles of South Carolina
By Janet Ciegler
3.A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America
By Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence
4.Beetles: A Field Guide to the Beetles of North America
By Richard E. White
5.How to Know the Beetles
By Ross H. Arnett, N. M. Downie, H. E. Jaques
6.Peterson Field Guides: Beetles
By Richard E. White
7.Insects of North Carolina
By C.S. Brimley
8.The Common Insects of North America
By Lester A. Swan, Charles S. Papp
9.Introduction to North American Beetles
By Charles S. Papp

Links on Chlaenius--for guide if desired
Aha! I've seen this genus before, and will be posting some images. Below are links for incorporation into a guide, as you see fit:
Ground Beetles of Canada illustrates several species--these are the best photographs: http://www.cbif.gc.ca/spp_pages/carabids/phps/image2_e.php
Insects of Cedar Creek illustrates two species: http://cedarcreek.umn.edu/insects/album/024004098ap.html
Insects of Quebec: http://www.lesinsectesduquebec.com/insecta/24-coleoptera/chlaenius.htm
Insects of Northeastern Iowa illustrates several species: http://biology.luther.edu/carahome.htm

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina

 
guide
Hey Patrick, feel free to take ownership of this guide page or any other guide page I start. I primarily create them to help move things out of the ID request pages. You have certainly shown a great ability in finding info about the different bugs, and can undoubtedly contribute much more than I can :)

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