Rain Beetle
Pterostichus melanarius
These beetles are highly valued by farmers as natural pest controllers, capable of consuming their own body weight in crop-damaging pests every single day.
- Scientific name
- Pterostichus melanarius
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Carabidae › Pterostichus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, agricultural fields, meadows, and suburban gardens.
- Diet
- Carnivorous; feeds on agricultural pests including slugs, snails, caterpillars, and aphids.
- Range
- Europe, North America
- Size
- 12-18 mm in length
- Lifespan
- 1-2 years
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Broad-spectrum chemical pesticides, intensive tillage, and soil compaction.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans. You can safely observe them crawling through leaf litter. If handled roughly, they may pinch with their mandibles or release a pungent, foul-smelling chemical defense. If pinched or sprayed, wash your hands with soap and water.
Pterostichus melanarius is a species of ground beetle native to Europe.
Photo: Gavin Slater, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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