Chlaenius tricolor

 One of the aims of this blog is to detail lots of the species found in Richmond, VA (hence the name). Well, one of the common species you'll find here by the thousands is Chlaenius tricolor (someday I'll write one on C. aestivus). The beetle is in the family Carabidae, also known as the ground beetles. Carabids are largely predatory, and so's this one. You'll find that this post will be short, I don't have too much info on the species. 

These can be found under rocks, bricks, logs, and other debris in moist areas. They are separable from C. aestivus by the fact that the thorax is about as wide as it is long. Otherwise, they are almost exactly alike. The beetle has an iridescent (shining) thorax, that can be purple, or green. That depends, though, on the way light hits it. The rest of the body is regular for a ground beetle. The wing covers often have a velvety look to them. These are the fastest beetles I've personally tried to catch, though I'm often successful. I've personally found these under brick slabs, and discarded flagstones. The slabs and flagstones I see them under have large populations of slugs and worms under them, and they eat those up. I once saw one eating  slug, but didn't end up catching it or anything. 

Photo's not that great, the lighting wasn't spot on.

        

  

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