(Flower) Rove Beetle
Eusphalerum sp
This species of beetle is easy to find on many different species of flowers during the summer in Sitka. They are quite small, I would say less than .5 cm long. When I have observed them, they never seem to be in any hurry. Even after they have landed, it takes them a little bit of time to get themselves all tucked in under their elytra (the hard outer wing covers).
(Thanks to Francesco Vitali via bugguide.net for help with the identification.)
European Ground Beetle
Carabus nemoralis
Rowan discovered this beetle under a rock. Even after chilling, this beetle didn’t really slow down, so it was tough to get pictures of. I think I’m going to have to switch to a smaller container. As the name implies, this species has been introduced from Europe as a biological control. I’m not sure what it eats, but I would guess one of the pests it targets is slugs.
Leaf Beetle
Syneta sp.
I noticed this beetle crawling on my pants when I sat down for a break. I managed to get a couple of shots of it before it flew away. It looks like it’s probably the same beetle species I noticed last summer on top of Verstovia.
Thanks to Rob W. via bugguide.net, I have a genus for this beetle
Unidentified Beetle
Scaphinotus sp.
I noticed this beetle crawling for cover when I lifted up a piece of plastic in the backyard. The plastic had been there since last summer. This was the only one I noticed with the iridescent edging. It caught my eye. The mouth parts look pretty intimidating close up.
Thanks to the helpful comments here and at bugguide.net, I now know the genus. It does not appear to be the same as Scaphinotus angusticollis, which I believe is pretty common around here. I am not sure what species it is. An on-line Canadian reference with the Ground Beetles of British Columbia lists six other species in the genus, so I am guessing it’s one of those.
Unidentified Beetle
Pterostichus sp.
I found this beetle, and several others like it, scurrying to find cover when I lifted up a piece of plastic in the backyard. It definitely seemed to like burrowing down in the dirt to get away.
Any help with identification of this beetle would be appreciated.
Thanks to the helpful folks at bugguide.net, I know the genus of this beetle. However, it was also mentioned that Alaska has 35 species in this genus. Perhaps at a later date, the species can be determined, but for now, I’ll be happy with just the genus.
