Now let's talk about what the Caucasian ground beetle is. Who is it? What kind of insect? Where does it live? What does it eat? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article.
Morphology
Caucasian ground beetle is a coleoptera, arthropod insect. Only two subspecies of large and small insects are localized on the territory of the Russian Federation. On average, their size is from 32 to 55 centimeters. Females are always larger than males one and a half times. In the area of the elytra there is a rough, coarse-grained sculpture. The body of the insect itself is shiny, blue. It is rarely possible to meet with another color, for example, purple or green. The front back is narrowed. The surface structure is rough, rough and coarse. The underside is black with a metallic sheen.
Biology
The active action of beetles occurs at night, but species of Caucasian ground beetles that produce movement in the daytime can be found. Activated from the end of April, live the entire growing season. Reproduction occurs in spring and summer. Caucasian ground beetle is considered a predatory insect. What does she eat? The ground beetle uses only gastropod mollusks, in rare cases, scientists say, can prey on insect larvae or earthworms.
Habitat
This type of insect is often distributed in oak forests, dry forests. The Caucasian ground beetle often lives in mountain steppes and meadows, which are located at an altitude of two thousand meters above sea level. The second subspecies adapts to inhabit the deciduous and mixed forests of rocky terrain. Often you can find Caucasian ground beetle in gardens and artificially created parks, when fallen leaves cover the ground.
This rare insect is listed in the Red Book. It occurs in the North Caucasus, from Adygea to Dagestan. Private collectors are actively hunting for this rare species of insect, which is on the verge of extinction. Ordinary people can sometimes be caught and destroyed, who, not knowing the environmental significance of these insects, kill them, taking them for an ordinary parasite.
Breeding
The mating stage occurs at the end of April. Then in the spring there is an egg laying. Their development lasts up to two weeks. In this case, it all depends on the thermal regime, as well as on how the soil surface is warmed up. Larvae eat mollusks all this time. The process of pupation takes place directly in the ground or, in other words, in the earthen cradle. Development time from egg to imago takes about four months. Just formed young beetles are noticeable by the end of summer. The imago winters in the bark of trees and the soil of a soft structure.
Number
Recently, growth in breeding has declined to a critical level. The abundance of Caucasian ground beetle is declining. This is due to the fact that the climatic state of the entire planet is changing. Due to global warming, it is getting too warm and there is a lot of rainfall. Virgin areas are reduced, forest glades are often cultivated, pesticides are used - these factors lead to a reduction in the number of insects. Poisonous chemicals make them die of hunger. In the mid-nineteenth century, Caucasian ground beetle, the photo of which you see in our article, was used to make jewelry. This type of insect is strictly protected in nature reserves. They also monitor their numbers and reproduction every year.
Benefit
As you recall, Caucasian ground beetle eats mollusks and other pests. During the growing season, it exterminates many harmful insects for cultivating various crops that adversely affect the composition of the soil and the cultivation of cultivated plants. Studies have shown that a small number of ground beetles in a wheat field can exterminate pests more than if treated with pesticides. They also loosen the top layer of the earth without damaging the root system of the plant.
They have a beneficial effect on soil cultivation. But frequent deforestation sometimes reduces their numbers.
Currently, their appearance is not fully understood. Only the main subspecies are considered. There are about forty of them. Ground beetles are used to control various kinds of pests, but it is very difficult to train them to destroy them deliberately. The technique of this technology is being developed. The impact of beneficial insects of this species on pests will provide the highest quality products without chemical additives.
A positive effect on the increase in the number of ground beetles is dry and sunny. There is the fastest reproduction. Ground beetle is considered a valuable species of insects. Therefore, it must be protected.
