Drees, Texas A&M University
Department of Entomology
The Fiery Searcher is one
of the largest ground beetles. It can grow to almost to one
and a half inches long. The head
and thorax
(front two body sections) are bluish. The abdomen
(large back section) is black, but you can't see it, because
it is covered by large, metallic green wings. These wings
are called elytra.
The elytra often have red or gold on the edges. There are
also grooves running lengthwise down the elytra.
If you look at the head
of this beetle, you will see sharp, curved jaws, used for
grabbing prey.
University of
Arkansas
Fiery Searchers live in
open woods, fields,
and gardens. They are often under rocks, logs, leaves,
bark,
or decomposing wood. They are active from May to
November.
After mating, female
Fiery Searchers lay eggs in the soil. Larvae hatch from the
eggs and look for prey. Both larvae
and adults
eat caterpillars.
This beetle's nickname is "Caterpillar Hunter." Larvae and
beetles will both climb trees to look for food.
When larvae are old
enough, they will return to the soil and become
pupae
(resting stage). Pupae will hatch into adult Fiery
Searchers. These beetles can hibernate
and survive the Winter. They can live up to three
years.
Fiery Searchers eat all kinds of
moth and butterfly caterpillars, but they eat more Eastern Tent
Caterpillars and European Gypsy Moth caterpillars than any other.
Adult beetles hunt during the day, and larvae hunt at
night.
Adult beetles can fly, but rarely
do so. They prefer to crawl and climb. If attacked by a
predator,
Fiery Searchers can let out a bad odor to try to keep from being
eaten.
Predators of Fiery Searchers
include birds and other beetle-eaters, such as Raccoons, frogs, Least
Shrews, squirrels, Red Fox, snakes, lizards, centipedes, ants, bats,
and salamanders.
Fiery Searchers are very helpful,
because they eat pesky caterpillars, especially tent caterpillars and
gypsy moths which do a lot of damage on trees. Fiery Searchers will
bite if handled, but will not do any real damage.
