ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF GROUND BEETLES (COLEOPTERA, CARABIDAE)

The ground beetles form the speciose beetle family Carabidae and, sinc e their emergence in the Tertiary, have populated all habitats except deserts. Our knowledge about carabids is biased toward species living in north-temperate regions. Most carabids are predatory, consume a wid e range of food types, and experience food shortages in the field. Fee ding on both plant and animal material and scavenging are probably mor e significant than currently acknowledged. The most important mortalit y sources are abiotic factors and predators; pathogens and parasites c an be important for some developmental stages. Although competition am ong larvae and adults does occur, the importance of competition as a c ommunity organization is not proven. Carabids are abundant in agricult ural fields all over the world and may be important natural enemies of agricultural pests.