Category Archives: Beetle of the Week

BotW: Thinopinus pictus

Posted on 30 October 2013 by David Maddison

In honor of Margaret Thayer and Al Newton’s visit to the PNW this week, the Beetle of the Week is a staphylinid.  It’s Thinopinus pictus, a large rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) that lives on the sandy beaches of the Pacific Ocean. … Continue reading →

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BotW: Andinodontis

Posted on 3 October 2013 by David Maddison

Andinodontis is a genus of small ground beetles that lives in the Andes of South America. Here’s Andinodontis muellermotzfeldi from near Baeza, Ecuador; it’s a bit less than 2.5 mm in length.  These beetles are part of an enigmatic lineage of … Continue reading →

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BotW: Cnemalobus

Posted on 25 September 2013 by David Maddison

Cnemalobus is a genus of large carabids from southern South America.   Here’s one from Chile: One of the cool things about Cnemalobus is that they make noises (they stridulate) as the run:

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BotW: Sphaeroderus

Posted on 16 September 2013 by David Maddison

At last, a beetle of the week!  However, it’s been so long since the last one that I should probably rename the feature to be “beetle of the season”, or “beetle of whenever”. Here’s a beautiful Sphaeroderus from North Carolina. … Continue reading →

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BotW: Dyschirioides sellatus

Posted on 23 April 2013 by David Maddison

Dyschiriina is a subtribe of carabids that include small, fossorial (they live in tunnels in the soil) members.  I found the one above on a river shore in Missouri.  I love the interesting  form of the beetle, and the delicate … Continue reading →

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BotW: Two species of Lachnophorini

Posted on 21 March 2013 by David Maddison

Because I have been remiss at blogging about beetles recently, today I’ll post two Beetles of the Week.  Both are members of the carabid tribe Lachnophorini. The first is a member of the genus Calybe, which are elegant, ant-like species … Continue reading →

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BotW: Bembidion bowditchii

Posted on 13 March 2013 by David Maddison

The beetle of the week is a very elegant species, Bembidion bowditchii, which lives in western North America.  It is rarely caught, but not uncommon in the right habitats: broad sandy shorelines of rivers.  It is abundant on the Kootenay River near … Continue reading →

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BotW: Bembidion poculare

Posted on 6 March 2013 by David Maddison

This Bembidion is common in oak woodlands in southern Arizona.  It is not directly associated with a body of water (which is unusual for a Bembidion), instead living between oaks and mesquite trees where the soil is slightly damp (perhaps in … Continue reading →

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BotW: Chlaenius pimalicus

Posted on 27 February 2013 by David Maddison

Chlaenius pimalicus (Carabidae: Harpalinae: Chlaeniini) is one of my favorite ground beetles from North America.  During my 17 years in Tucson, Arizona, I had very much wanted to find one in the field.  I didn’t manage until 2 months before … Continue reading →

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BotW: Asaphidion yukonense

Posted on 20 February 2013 by David Maddison

This lovely species occurs on damp soil in open areas around forests in northwestern North America, from Alberta to Alaska. Here’s what a typical habitat looks like:

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