# Fiery Searcher (*Calosoma scrutator*) The Fiery Searcher is a shiny beetle that loves to explore! It has a bright green and blue color that makes it stand out in nature. This beetle is a great helper because it eats pests that can harm plants. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Fiery Searcher](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Calosoma_scrutator.jpg&width=800) Photo: David R. Maddison, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calosoma_scrutator.jpg) ## Appearance The Fiery Searcher is a large, striking ground beetle, featuring brilliant iridescent green-gold wing covers edged with metallic coppery-red. Its head and thorax are dark, often with blue or purple hints, contrasting with its long, agile black legs. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Carabidae - **Genus:** Calosoma ## Interesting facts - Adult Fiery Searchers can live for several years, which is rare for an insect! - It can climb trees to hunt caterpillars high in the leaves! - This beetle is sometimes called a 'Caterpillar Hunter' because it eats so many! - When threatened, it makes a distinct hissing sound to scare away attackers! ## Special abilities - **Stinky Spray Shield:** Fiery Searcher can spray a foul-smelling liquid because of glands in its abdomen that helps them deter hungry predators. - **Speedy Stalker Legs:** Fiery Searcher has long, powerful legs that helps them sprint quickly across the ground to catch fleeing prey. - **Crushing Chompers:** Fiery Searcher has strong, sharp mandibles that helps them grip and dismantle the tough bodies of its prey. - **Aerial Pursuit:** Fiery Searcher can fly swiftly using its hidden wings because of powerful flight muscles that helps them find new hunting grounds. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 50-70 mm - **Size:** 25-35 mm - **Lifespan:** 365-730 days - **Flight Speed:** 10-15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding This beetle is a super hunter, munching mainly on caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects. - **Age differences:** Larvae also actively hunt small insects and other invertebrates. - **Primary Foods:** caterpillars, slugs, snails, insect larvae - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Eastern Tent Caterpillar (*Malacosoma americanum*) — Keeps forest pest populations in check. - **Eaten by:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — Provides a nutritious meal for forest birds. - **Hunts:** Flame Shoulder Snail (*Anguispira alternata*) — Helps control garden snail populations. - **Hunts:** Black Cutworm (*Agrotis ipsilon*) — Protects crops from pest caterpillars. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be gentle and watch from a distance; don't touch insects unless you know they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Fiery Searcher? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Fiery Searcher's wingspan? 50-70 mm ### How big is Fiery Searcher? 25-35 mm ### How long does Fiery Searcher live? 365-730 days ### How fast can Fiery Searcher fly? 10-15 km/h ### What does Fiery Searcher eat? This beetle is a super hunter, munching mainly on caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects. ### Where is Fiery Searcher usually found? Forests ### How does Fiery Searcher hunt? Pursuit ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Fiery Searcher: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fiery-searcher)