Well, just to complete my records, it seems, the pit traps yielded another insect today. It looks dramatically different than the Common Black Ground Beetle that I captured earlier, but I believe it is the same species. I think it is the larval form. Although as I couldn't pinpoint the species of the adult beetle, I can't say whether this is the same species or not. I would be confident in saying that it is the same genus, however. It's actually fairly exciting to catch both forms in one day in the same trap.
It looks like the genus: pterostrichus. The identifying features are the overall body shape, 11 segments on the antenna, the cercus, and the shape of the head and eyes. The cercus or, I suppose the plural is cerci, in Latin, are visible at the tail end of the insect. They are the two thin appendages trailing out from the sides of the back of the body, as seen in the picture.
The rest of the information is the same as the adult Common Black Ground Beetle from the earlier entry, so I won't repeat it, except tot note that the larva, although diurnal, doe snot like the light at all and when a piece of leaf was placed in with it, it hastily crawled under it. Every time the leaf was moved, it scrambled back under as fast as it could.
I'll also mention that it was about 75 degrees out when I was observing this fellow, and it was quite fast. I'd say that it could easily overtake most other crawling insects upon which it dines. This is another insect that I am happy to release. It eats the grubs and caterpillars of many harmful insects (or of any insect at all) and does not bother garden flowers or vegetable plants at all.
 |
| Pterostichus Larva, captured by pit trap in the forest Photo by Brad Sylvester, copyright 2011, all rights reserved |
The rest of the information is the same as the adult Common Black Ground Beetle from the earlier entry, so I won't repeat it, except tot note that the larva, although diurnal, doe snot like the light at all and when a piece of leaf was placed in with it, it hastily crawled under it. Every time the leaf was moved, it scrambled back under as fast as it could.
I'll also mention that it was about 75 degrees out when I was observing this fellow, and it was quite fast. I'd say that it could easily overtake most other crawling insects upon which it dines. This is another insect that I am happy to release. It eats the grubs and caterpillars of many harmful insects (or of any insect at all) and does not bother garden flowers or vegetable plants at all.
This seems to be a Rove beetle and an adult(Staphylinidae)and not a larva. Staphylinidae have reduced elytra.
ReplyDeleteHmm, yes. I think an Ocypus sp. I need to change this page.
Delete