Rainbow Beetle of Alaska

The Rainbow beetle (carabus vietinghoffi) is a species of ground beetle in the Caterpillar Hunter genus. Most of these beetles are found in the Northern Hemisphere. There are 167 species of ground beetles. 

The adults range in size from 15mm to 22mm (0.59" - 0.86"). Not much is known about these beetles. They are mostly nocturnal and feed on other insects and nematodes. 

So far there is no record of these beetles found south of the town of North Pole in Alaska which is near Fairbanks in the interior of the state. An entomologist at University of Alaska Museum of the North, Derek Sikes, has identified these beetles that were brought in by community members wanting an identity of these rare bugs.

Photo: https://www.whatsthatbug.com/2016/06/07/rainbow-beetle-alaska/

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