Calosoma sycophanta
Encyclopedia
The Calosoma sycophanta or forest caterpillar hunter is a large, bright green, metallic ground beetle
that is native to Europe. In 1905 it 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.
Ground beetle
Ground beetles are a large, cosmopolitan family of beetles, Carabidae, with more than 40,000 species worldwide, approximately 2,000 of which are found in North America and 2,700 in Europe.-Description and ecology:...
that is native to Europe. In 1905 it was imported to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
for control of the gypsy moth
Gypsy moth
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth in the family Lymantriidae of Eurasian origin. Originally ranging from Europe to Asia, it was introduced to North America in the late 1860s and has been expanding its range ever since...
. The species is a voracious consumer of caterpillars during both its larval stage and as an adult.
External links
- Ground Beetles, Susan Mahr, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
- Forest Caterpillar Hunter, BioLib.cz.