Tuesday, June 13, 2017

a beautiful bug

I was weeding a shady bed behind the house when I came upon this lovely guy.  At 3 cm long, and black trimmed with purple, it's a real eye catching catch!  

It moves really fast, and in fact in German it is called Laufkafer, which means running beetle, certainly a perfect description.  It can be found in gardens and wooded areas, and is said to be common, although this is the first one I have seen.  It is native to Europe, and now has spread all over North America.  

Carabus nemoralis is a beneficial predator whose favourite meal is slugs.  Any bug that goes after slugs is a friend of mine!

Right after his photo op, we released him back where he came from .