Pterostichus madidus

Pterostichus madidus, commonly known as the black clock beetle, is a species of ground beetle native to Europe.[1][2] The black clock beetle typically grows between 14–20mm in length, and is black in colouration, with legs that are usually red, reddish brown, or black. It can be found most abundantly in summer, and breeds during the autumn. It is commonly found in gardens, grasslands, and dry woodland, under stones, in grass, or in loose bark.[3][4]

Pterostichus madidus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Suborder:
Adephaga
Family:
Carabidae
Genus:
Pterostichus
Species:
P. madidus
Binomial name
Pterostichus madidus
(Fabricius, 1775)

In the United Kingdom, this beetle is commonly known as the rain beetle as they tend to appear when rain is imminent. There is an old superstition that should you step on one or kill one, it will cause it to rain.[5]

References
  1. Fauna Europaea
  2. Carl H. Lindroth 1974 Coleoptera. Carabidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects Vol 4 Part 2. Royal Entomological Society,London pdf Archived 2017-01-06 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Black Clock Beetle - NatureSpot". www.naturespot.org.uk.
  4. "Black Clock Beetle - Pterostichus madidus - Overview - Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life.
  5. "Weather eye: Rain beetles".


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