ColeopteraCarabidae – Ground Beetles

Pterostichus lachrymosus

This record describes Pterostichus lachrymosus (species). Recorded family: Carabidae. Recorded order: Coleoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Pterostichus lachrymosus - Pterostichus lachrymosus
(c) Ludo Leclerc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ludo Leclerc

Pterostichus lachrymosus is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.

Wikipedia reference for Pterostichus lachrymosus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterostichus lachrymosus.

Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder
Adephaga
Family
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Subfamily
Harpalinae
Tribe
Pterostichini
Genus
Pterostichus

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group

Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Pterostichus lachrymosus. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

Coleoptera is the largest order of insects with over 400,000 described species, representing ~25% of all known animal species and ~40% of all insects. In the U.S. alone, nearly 30,000 beetle species have been identified.

Ecological role of the group

Beetles are prominent decomposers, especially in forests, breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients. As predators, they reduce populations of pest insects. Many species are also important pollinators of flowering plants.

Economic and practical significance of the group

Beetles have major economic significance: leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) and weevils (Curculionoidea) are among the most destructive agricultural pests globally, costing billions annually, while predatory species like ladybugs provide natural pest control.

Recorded sources for this group: Britannica, Smithsonian, NCSU Entomology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

Explore Coleoptera families and species →

Photos of Pterostichus lachrymosus (3)

Pterostichus lachrymosus - photo 1
(c) Ludo Leclerc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ludo Leclerc | no rights reserved, uploaded by Nick Bédard | (c) Stephen Cresswell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Stephen Cresswell | (c) olivia_lewis, all rights reserved
Pterostichus lachrymosus - photo 2
(c) Ludo Leclerc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ludo Leclerc | no rights reserved, uploaded by Nick Bédard | (c) Stephen Cresswell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Stephen Cresswell | (c) olivia_lewis, all rights reserved
Pterostichus lachrymosus - photo 3
(c) Ludo Leclerc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ludo Leclerc | no rights reserved, uploaded by Nick Bédard | (c) Stephen Cresswell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Stephen Cresswell | (c) olivia_lewis, all rights reserved

Photo credits: (c) Ludo Leclerc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ludo Leclerc | no rights reserved, uploaded by Nick Bédard | (c) Stephen Cresswell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Stephen Cresswell | (c) olivia_lewis, all rights reserved

How we use and review source data. Source count does not imply independent verification.

Photo credits: (c) Ludo Leclerc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ludo Leclerc | no rights reserved, uploaded by Nick Bédard | (c) Stephen Cresswell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Stephen Cresswell | (c) olivia_lewis, all rights reserved. Contributors retain copyright over their individual contributions.