Black Clock Beetle vs Ant Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Black Clock Beetle Ant Beetle
Scientific Name Pterostichus madidus Thanasimus formicarius
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Carabidae Cleridae
Size 14-18 mm 7-10mm
Habitat Gardens Woodlands
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Black Clock Beetle

A common nocturnal ground beetle found throughout European gardens and farmland. It is jet black and a voracious predator of slugs and pest insects.

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Did You Know?

Gardeners consider it one of the most beneficial beetles because a single individual can eat its body weight in slug eggs every night.

Ant Beetle

A brightly colored red and black bark beetle predator that mimics ants. It hunts bark beetles on pine trees.

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Did You Know?

An important natural enemy of bark beetles used in integrated pest management of conifer forests.