About Calosoma inquisitor (Linnaeus, 1758)
Calosoma inquisitor is a species of ground beetle, commonly known as the lesser searcher beetle or caterpillar-hunter. This species occurs across northern Africa, Europe ranging north to southern Scandinavia, and extends east to Asia Minor, Iran, and the Caucasus. Isolated populations are also found in eastern Siberia and Japan; some authors classify these isolated populations as a separate species, Calosoma cyanescens. Adult beetles of this species are predators of a variety of insects and their larvae, and they particularly feed on lepidopteran larvae. They are strong fliers, and can be found not just on the ground, but also in bushes and on trees. When threatened, this beetle will first fall, then threaten by lifting the front portion of its body and spreading its mandibles. Females of this species lay approximately 50 eggs. The newly hatched larvae are also predatory, develop very quickly, and live underground. Adult beetles emerge in June, but remain in diapause underground until the following spring.
