Fauna
Insect

Leather Beetle

Carabus coriaceus

Also 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
Leather Beetle reference1 / 7
(c) Christina s.l., some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyEarthworms, Snails, Caterpillars
Predators
  • Hedgehogs
  • Owls
  • Toads
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, pesticide use, deforestation
HabitatsDeciduous forests, mixed woodlands, hedgerows, parks
Life span2–3 years
Classification
  1. OrderColeoptera
  2. FamilyCarabidae
  3. GenusCarabus
  4. SpeciesCarabus coriaceus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. 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.
Related species
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