Ground Beetles of Ireland
Pterostichus diligens
| Click on the image to enlarge it in a new window | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 © Roy Anderson |
 Click on map to enlarge it in a new window (Maps updated 30th November 2009) |
||
Pterostichus diligens (Sturm, 1824)
Description: 5-7mm long black ground beetle. Very common in most habitats, in particular damper ones. Fairly easily confused with the very common Pterostichus strenuus and perhaps not quite as common as that species.
World Distribution: A Eurasian Boreo-temperate species (55) distributed across the whole of Europe except the extreme south, and eastwards in Siberia to the River Lena.
Irish Status: Widespread and common, particularly on hill land.
Ecology: A small, eurytopic Pterostichus with very similar habitus to P. strenuus, and like that species, somewhat variable in puncturation of the elytra and colouration of the legs, at least in Irish material we have seen. Generally darker than strenuus, but best separated on the almost smooth prosternum. The dullness of the upper surface ascribed by Lindroth (1974) does not appear to be constant in Irish specimens and should not be relied upon as a distinguishing character. In general it has been recorded more frequently from wetlands, particularly in more exposed or oligotrophic conditions, than P. strenuus.