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Species Amara aenea - Common Sun Beetle

8022745 - Amara aenea Ground beetle - Amara aenea Black Beetle - Amara aenea Amara on driftwood in small pond - Amara aenea - male Amara on driftwood in small pond - Amara aenea - male common sun beetle - Amara aenea Amara cupreolata - Amara aenea - male Carabidae, Common Sun Beetle, dorsal - Amara aenea - male
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Adephaga
Family Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Subfamily Harpalinae
Supertribe Pterostichitae
Tribe Zabrini (Seed-Eating Ground Beetles)
Genus Amara
No Taxon (subgenus Amara)
Species aenea (Common Sun Beetle)
Explanation of Names
Amara aenea (DeGeer 1774)
Size
6.2-8.8 mm(1)
Identification
Common and widespread across North America. The most likely species of Amara to be seen running in the open during sunny days, hence the nickname "Common Sun Beetle". Recognizable by its general habitus; metallic (coppery) dorsum; flattish eyes; pronotum with anterior angles strongly projected forward, mediobasal fovea sharp, laterobasal fovea weak or absent; first three antennomeres pale; femur dark and tibia light.
Range
native to n. Eurasia, adventive in NA and now widespread both in the east (NF-MB south to n.FL-n.LA-ne.OK) and in the west (so.BC-CA to se.AB-CO-n.AZ)(2)
Habitat
fields, orchards, roadsides, sand pits, usually on dry sandy soils; occasionally on plants(1)
Season
spring breeder(1)
Remarks
earliest record in our area: before 1828; first inventoried specimens: NY 1904 in the east, CA 1941 in the west(2)