Calosoma

Taxobox |

image_width = 120px
image_caption = "Calosoma sycophanta"
name = "Calosoma"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Coleoptera
familia = Carabidae
subfamilia = Carabinae
genus = "Calosoma"
genus_authority = Weber, 1801
species = see text

"Calosoma" is a genus of large ground beetles that occur primarily throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and are referred to as Caterpillar hunters or Searchers. Many of the ~50 species are largely or entirely black, but some have bright metallic coloration. They produce a foul-smelling spray from glands near the tip of the abdomen.

In 1905, "Calosoma sycophanta" 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.

External links

* [http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/kyf304.html Ground Beetles] , Susan Mahr,University of Wisconsin-Madison.
* [http://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id81/ Forest Caterpillar Hunter] , BioLib.cz.