Looking for the Forest Caterpillar Hunter
The Forest caterpillar hunter has various, mainly hairy, caterpillars on its menu that are avoided by other animals. That is why he is a welcome…
The Forest caterpillar hunter has various, mainly hairy, caterpillars on its menu that are avoided by other animals. That is why he is a welcome species in areas where processionary caterpillars multiply explosively. An adult beetle consumes around 200 to 300 caterpillars per season, and the larva eats both the caterpillars and the pupae of the processionary caterpillar.
To learn more about the behaviour, habitat requirements and food preferences of the Forest caterpillar hunter, we want to follow up every observation of the species in Flanders, the Netherlands and surrounding countries in 2025 and, if possible, make a field visit.
Report your observations of the Forest Caterpillar Hunter
Do you think you have spotted the Forest caterpillar hunter on the field? Then you should do the following:
- Take a picture of the animal;
- Post the sighting as soon as possible on Obsidentify, Waarnemingen.be or .nl with the exact location OR send a message with that information to [email protected]
- Send a dead specimen to the Province of Antwerp – provincial house, attn. Kathleen Verstraete – Dienst Leefmilieu, Koningin Elisabethlei 22, 2018 Antwerp
The project team thanks you in advance for your cooperation!
Here you can find more about the experiment with the forest caterpillar hunter.
How to recognize the Forest caterpillar hunter
The adult beetle can be found on or near trees from May to July. This ground beetle is up to 3 cm long and usually green or red with an iridescent, metallic sheen. The elytra are grooved lengthwise. The pronotum has lateral projections and is green or blue in color.
Source: Wikipedia. Author: Bernard Dupont. Lic.: CC BY-SA 2.0
Larvae can be found in July and August. They resemble caterpillars, but have a row of sturdy, dark plates on the upper side of their bodies and a white underside. The last segment is orange at the top. Unlike other ground beetles, the larva is adept at climbing trees.
Source: Wikipedia. Author.: Gyorgy Csoka, Lic.: CC BY 3.0
Note: Do not confuse with other large predatory beetles such as the Golden Ground Beetle and the Lesser Caterpillar Hunter:
Forest Caterpillar Hunter
Source: Wikipedia. Auth: Udo Schmidt. Lic.: CC BY 3.0
Golden ground beetle
Source: Wikipedia. Auth: Udo Schmidt. Lic.: CC BY 3.0
Lesser Caterpillar Hunter. Source: Wikipedia. Auth: Udo Schmidt. Lic.: CC BY -SA 2.0