COLEOPTERA: Carabidae

Members of the family Carabidae are often called ground beetles. There are over 40,000 species known worldwide; over 2,000 of these are found in North America.

Click/ tap on any of the images to view a larger version of the photo. Please respect that all these photos are copyrighted. Do not use them for any purpose without first contacting us (there is a contact form on our main page for this site).

Cicindela punctulata Olivier, 1790. Adults of the punctured tiger beetle are sometimes attracted to light at night. There are over 2,600 known species in the genus Cicindela. Many are found in sandy soil (often near bodies of water). Adults often run after their prey (and some members of this genus can reach speeds of 9 km/h. When you consider their size, these are some of the fastest land animals on our planet. This specimen was collected by Mark DuBois in Peoria Co., Illinois.

Cicindela sexguttata Fabricius, 1775. The common name for this species is six-spotted tiger beetle. Adults and larvae are predators of small arthropods. These beetles are often observed along trails in wooded areas )particularly the sunny patches). Larvae hunt from burrows in sandy soil (they often lunge out of the burrow to capture passing arthropods; mostly small insects and spiders). This specimen was collected by Mark DuBois in Marshall Co., Illinois.

Patrobus longicornis (Say, 1823). This species is known from Illinois and Indiana (among other states). It is often associated with wet or moist habitats. Adults are often attracted to lights a night. This specimen was collected by Mark DuBois in Peoria Co., Illinois.

Scarites subterraneus Fabricius, 1775. The common name for this species is pedunculate ground beetle. Specimens are often found under stones or in leaf litter. They are sometimes observed on the surface (such as on sidewalks). This specimen was collected by Mark DuBois in Tazewell Co., Illinois.