Black Caterpillar Hunter

Calosoma sayi, also known as "Say's caterpillar hunter" or "Black Caterpillar Hunter", is a species of ground beetle of the subfamily Carabinae. It was described by Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean in 1826. A large, lustrous black beetle found throughout the United States, its habitat is fields and disturbed areas. About 25mm to 28mm long, its grooved elytra have rows of metallic dots or pits. Said pits are smaller than many other Calosoma, and are ruby red. Both larvae and adults prey upon other larvae and pupae, specifically those of grubs, flies, and lepidoptera.

From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Is it venomous or poisonous?

We have no record of Black Caterpillar Hunter being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.

Easily confused with

• Calosoma chlorostictum
• Calosoma frigidum
• Calosoma alternans
• Calosoma marginale
• Calosoma denticolle

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Carabidae

Genus

Calosoma

Species

Calosoma sayi

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