Fiery Searcher

Description:

These are very plentiful all of a sudden. About 2.25" long. This one sadly got run over by a car, but it's probably the only way to take a picture of one - they run incredibly fast. Beautiful blue head & green body. Knowing that these are caterpillar eaters makes a lot of sense, since our yard & trees are CLIMBING with caterpillars. Fiery Searchers live in open woods, fields, and gardens. They are often under rocks, logs, leaves, bark, or decomposing wood. They are active from May to November. After mating, female Fiery Searchers lay eggs in the soil. Larvae hatch from the eggs and look for prey. Both larvae and adults eat caterpillars. This beetle's nickname is "Caterpillar Hunter." Larvae and beetles will both climb trees to look for food. When larvae are old enough, they will return to the soil and become pupae (resting stage). Pupae will hatch into adult Fiery Searchers. These beetles can hibernate and survive the Winter. They can live up to three years.