Ground Beetles of Ireland
Miscodera arctica
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 © Roy Anderson |
 © Roy Anderson |
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Miscodera arctica (Paykull, 1798)
Description: 6-8mm long black ground beetle found on sand or gravel, usually morainic or ranker soils, also Rhacomitrium heath, on mountain tops. Predatory on larvae of moss-feeding pill beetles (Byrrhus spp.).
World Distribution: A circumpolar Boreo-arctic Montane species (26) largely confined to the northern part of Europe and Siberia across to northern North America. A rare relict in central Europe (Austrian and Swiss Alps; Marggi, 1992), but widespread if local on mountains in northern England and the Scottish Highlands (Luff, 1998).
Irish Status: A recent addition to the Irish List collected by Alexander (1993) on the summit of Slieve Donard, Down. Since then, taken in pitfall traps on Calluna heath north of Glendun, Antrim (Anderson & McFerran, 1996). May occur elsewhere but likely to be very local.
Ecology: A northern species, usually reported from gravelly substrata or other well drained places in mountains. On Slieve Donard it was recorded from summit breccia with its prey species, Byrrhus pilula L. (Alexander, 1993).