Arboreal Ground Beetle vs Northern Ground Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Arboreal Ground Beetle	Northern Ground Beetle
Scientific Name	Dromius quadrimaculatus	Pelophila borealis
Order	Coleoptera	Coleoptera
Family	Carabidae	Carabidae
Size	5-7 mm	10-14 mm
Habitat	Woodlands	Tundra & Arctic
Diet	Wood Feeders	Predators
Regions	Europe, western Asia	Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Siberia, Arctic Canada, Alaska
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Arboreal Ground Beetle

A small, flattened ground beetle that lives primarily on trees rather than on the ground. It has a dark brown body with four pale spots on its elytra and hides under bark.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most ground beetles, it spends its entire life on trees and is rarely found on the ground, challenging the common name of the family.

Northern Ground Beetle

A medium-sized, dark metallic green or bronze ground beetle with long legs. It is an active predator on riverbanks and lakeshores in Arctic regions. Adults run rapidly across muddy substrates hunting small invertebrates.

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Did You Know?

This beetle can withstand brief submersion in near-freezing water and quickly resumes hunting once it reaches dry ground.