Ground beetles have glands at the end of the abdomen that produce defensive, foul tasting and caustic secretions. I must quote here an incident involving ground beetles described by Charles Darwin
I must tell you what happened to me on the banks of the Cam in my early entomological days; under a piece of bark I found two carabi (I forget which) & caught one in each hand, when lo & behold I saw a sacred Panagæus crux major; I could not bear to give up either of my Carabi, & to lose Panagæus was out of the question, so that in despair I gently seized one of the carabi between my teeth, when to my unspeakable disgust & pain the little inconsiderate beast squirted his acid down my throat & I lost both Carabi & Panagæus!The pains beetle collectors went through to capture priced ground beetles! You can admire the handsome Crucifix Ground Beetle (Panagaeus cruxmajor), also known as 'Darwin's lost beetle' here. Unfortunately, due to collecting and habitat degradation, this species, formerly widespread, is now just know from three populations in the UK.
But back to my beetle, I managed to take some shots of the individual scurrying off for cover on the soil, and then I decided to capture it and give it a session in the white bowl. I think the following two photos show the pros and cons of the natural versus the white background.
Pterostichus madidus, 12 May 2012
More information
Charles Darwin letter to Leonard Jenyns in the Darwin Correspondence project.
Crucifix ground beetle (Panagaeus cruxmajor) UKBAP plan.
24 comments:
I my family the name black clocks always applied to black beetles that were often found in houses (probably covering several species). You rarely see them in houses now as most have concrete flooring, rather than wooden floorboards. Though many an infestation was blamed on recently installed second-hand sofas etc.
Thank you for the comment norwegica, I wasn't sure the term was in use any more. I have got ground beetles in the kitchen, as they easily get in from the garden. Never heard of infestation from second hand sofas though!
On watching springwatch I am moved to research the term Clock.As a youngster we never used the term Beetle.The creatures we found in the garden were Clocks.Is this an Irish thing -I am in Northern Ireland or ageneral old English term?
Hi allen H. As far as I am aware is an old English name, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was un use in N Ireland too.
I am Norn Iron too and remember huge Clocks at my Granny's all the time
I'm from the north of England. I was a child in the early 50s and our first house was attached to a Working Men's Club. I recall how, on coming back to the house at night, on switching the light on, the entire ground floor would be (always) heaving with black clocks, which had infiltrated from the pub cellars next door. :)
In Northern England ...Cockroaches were refered to as Black Clocks.
Thank you Donna, that seems more likely than ground beetles coming from a pub!
Glad I came across this. I grew up in Northern Ireland and we called large woodlice "clocks" - never heard the term since - until now!
Are they poisonous to a dog if eaten?
Just reading my Dad's memoirs. He was brought up in a mining district in N. Yorkshire, in the 30s, and mentioned that the houses were swarming with 'black clocks'. That they sprinkled something called 'Strike 'em Stiff' at night, and in the mornings there's be hundreds to sweep up, but they never got rid of them.
I'm in Northern England - Yorkshire - We always knew them as 'Black Clocks', & still do :) I quite like them, unlike Earwigs, but then I've never had them infest my home; wouldn't like that at all..!
*Older relatives call Woodlice 'Stone Beetles' - I call them Woodlice...
we called them elephant Beatles
When I was a small child, 50 years ago, my grandmother told that a clock was a “stone” beetle. The Irish word for stone is cloch - pronounced clock.
That's really interesting and makes sense, stone beetles! Thank you for commenting.
Ive seen them in my 1820s house ....we call them clocks here in Ireland
My dad called them black clock jarrow tyne and wear he was born 1928 the village had lots of Irish immigrants so may be thats where it came from
We called them clocks in N Ireland (Normiron). My grandmother's house was old and it was said to be due to the dampness. I hated them and still do.
My father was a coal miner in Yorkshire, we always sew actional black clock in our house that was a row of houses that was called pit houses. As a child our toilet was down stairs and I got up to use the toilet and as I had to walk accross the kitchen to put on the light, when I did the floor was covered In blackclocks, they started to scarper back to the skerting board near the coal fire. Next morning I told my mam. And she sprayed killer around the skerting board where I sew them go. And they came Pilling out my mam and sister shovelled them up and put them on the coal fire. Horrible horrible site to see. But never sew them again after that, Mam always said they came from next door 😅
Ive one here in a jar. Its enormous. Im yhinking could be a roach. Stinking Hate it. Just got the xmas tree in ,from garage???? Also im in northern ireland been here all my life. We called woodlice slaters just like the family from eastenders lol
I think 'clock' was originally the Anglo-Saxon word for a bell.
Term clock is used i republic of ireland also. But just Clock we wouldnt say a clock beetle or a beetle clock. Found one today in garden. After placing my hand in front of it 3 times (each time it tried to bite me with its jaw pincers) it was unable to hurt me and i naively encouraged my 4 yr old to pick it up. It bit her too but i did not co sider that her skin would be softer in my foolishness. Some tears from its pinch as no skin was broken.
Your comment tickled me, being from Yorkshire ourselves and my mother in law being called Mam, she would always blame the next doors. 😁
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