
''Calosoma'' is a genus of large
ground beetles that occur primarily throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and are referred to as caterpillar hunters or caterpillar searchers. Many of the 167 species are largely or entirely black, but some have bright metallic coloration. They produce a foul-smelling spray from
gland
In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland).
Structure
De ...
s near the tip of the abdomen. They are recognizable due to their large
thorax, which is almost the size of their abdomen and much wider than their head.
[Powell & Hogue (1979), California Insects. p. 262.]
History
In 1905, ''
Calosoma sycophanta
''Calosoma sycophanta'', the forest caterpillar hunter, is a species of ground beetle belonging to the family Carabidae.
Subspecies and varietas
* ''Calosoma sycophanta var. severum'' Chaudoir, 1850
* ''Calosoma sycophanta var. nigrocyaneum' ...
'' was imported to
New England for control of the
gypsy moth. The species is a voracious consumer of caterpillars during both its larval stage and as an adult, as are other species in the genus. For this reason, they are generally considered
beneficial insects. Several species of this beetle, most notably the
black calosoma (''Calosoma semilaeve'') are especially common in the
California area.
See also
*
List of Calosoma species
This is a list of 188 species in the genus ''Calosoma'', caterpillar hunters.
''Calosoma'' species
* '' Calosoma abbreviatum'' Chaudoir, 1869
* '' Calosoma abyssinicum'' Gestro, 1880
* '' Calosoma aethiopicum'' Breuning, 1928
* '' Calosoma aethi ...
References
*
Friedrich Weber 1801: ''Obs. Ent''., 20; Fabricius 1801, ''Syst. Eleuth''., 1: 211.
Ground beetles of the genus ''Calosoma'' (Carabidae): atlas of beetles of Russia*
* Powell & Hogue (1979), California Insects. p. 262.
External links
*
*
Susan Mahr,University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Forest Caterpillar Hunter BioLib.cz.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1317479
Calosoma
Carabidae genera
Insects used as insect pest control agents