Insect · GBIF taxon 4470451
Leather Beetle
Carabus coriaceusAlso known as Leather Ground Beetle, Leathery Ground Beetle
Leather beetles are massive, flightless ground predators recognizable by their heavily wrinkled, leather-textured wing covers. Active mostly at night, they roam the forest floor in search of soft-bodied invertebrates like earthworms and snails before retreating under rotting logs during the day. During midsummer heat spikes, adults enter a dormant state called aestivation to conserve moisture until cooler autumn weather arrives.
NocturnalPredatoryFlightless
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Earthworms
- Snails
- Caterpillars
Predators
- Hedgehogs
- Owls
- Toads
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, pesticide use, deforestation
HabitatsDeciduous forests, mixed woodlands, hedgerows, parks
Life span2–3 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyCarabidae
- GenusCarabus
- SpeciesCarabus coriaceus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Night Searches: Use a soft flashlight to spot active beetles hunting on forest floors after dusk.
- Microhabitat Inspection: Look beneath fallen logs, damp leaf litter, and loose bark during damp weather.
- Respectful Observation: Refrain from handling them roughly to avoid triggering a smelly defensive fluid release.
Prey (c) Björn S..., some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Predator (c) Michael Gäbler, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Udo Schmidt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Udo Schmidt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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