How Many Species Of Ground Beetle Are There?

Insects make up a huge number of species on the planet but there are an amazing number of ground beetle species – about 22 000 altogether. All form a large group within the suborder Adephaga.

Ground beetles live throughout temperate regions of the world but are not as common in the tropics and regions around the equator. They are one of the best known groups of beetles and are easily recognisable from their distinct patterns and colours. There are a few exceptions but most ground beetles share the same shape. They do, however, show great variations in size from those that are only a few millimetres long to those that are about 10 centimetres long – massive for a beetle.

Ground beetles are relatively harmless to humans but they are carnivores. The species Calosoma sycophanta is a very good runner and is a ferocious predator of grubs. It is used in a pest control programme in America to control a population explosion in a species of destructive moth caterpillars.

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