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 .
