European Ground Beetle

Subject: Beetle with purple spots
Location: Vermont
May 15, 2013 5:49 pm
Hi Bugman!
I am in northern Vermont. I found a beetle outside on the playground with my toddler class. Can’t find it anywhere to identify it!
Signature: Amy

Hi Amy,
This lovely beetle is a European Ground Beetle, Carabus nemoralis, and you can read more about it on BugGuide.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Do you know if these are a threat to little hands? or do these ones secrete anything stinky? LOL   Thanks so much again!!

Hi again Amy,
Ground Beetles are predators that have strong mandibles, and it is possible that they might nip a person, but they have no poison and they are not dangerous.  We doubt they could even draw blood.  Smell is so subjective, and folks with sensitive noses might find them stinky, but we have not read anything about them using scent as a defense.