Ground Beetle
(two photos)
"Beautiful Black Searcher"
C
allisthenes luxatus
I found this single "Beautiful Black Searcher" on Antelope Island. It was not a good day for finding
anything out there. Even the flies were more scarce than last week. Even though it was in the
high 40's and low 50's, it wasn't warm enough for a lot of the insects yet. This beetle must
have been eating something because it stayed still for a long time. © Carol Davis 2-25-2016
I found this "Beautiful Black Searcher" and a few of its friends on Antelope Island just running around searching
for food. It hardly ever paused and photographing it was a nightmare.
Callisthenes
tend to hide in holes or in
any ground cover they find handy. According to an Idaho Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin these
shiny rotund little beetles have been seen eating Eleodes (stink beetle) larvae. Ground Beetles in general
eat all kinds of things like decaying matter and larvae. I'm no lover of beetles but I have come to
appreciate that many are beneficial and are not just here to freak us out. © Carol Davis, 3-1-2011
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I found this single "Beautiful Black Searcher" on Antelope Island. It was not a good day for finding
anything out there. Even the flies were more scarce than last week. Even though it was in the
high 40's and low 50's, it wasn't warm enough for a lot of the insects yet. This beetle must
have been eating something because it stayed still for a long time. © Carol Davis 2-25-2016
I found this "Beautiful Black Searcher" and a few of its friends on Antelope Island just running around searching
for food. It hardly ever paused and photographing it was a nightmare. Callisthenes tend to hide in holes or in
any ground cover they find handy. According to an Idaho Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin these
shiny rotund little beetles have been seen eating Eleodes (stink beetle) larvae. Ground Beetles in general
eat all kinds of things like decaying matter and larvae. I'm no lover of beetles but I have come to
appreciate that many are beneficial and are not just here to freak us out. © Carol Davis, 3-1-2011
Home - Insects and Bugs
Other Home - Amazing Nature