Temperate ground beetles (Carabidae) overwinter as adults and/or larvae. Overwintering site selection is crucial for winter survival of the beetles. To clarify what factors influence the overwintering site selection by ground beetles, we have studied the assemblages of ground beetles at river bank, forest floor and farmland. 

   Ground beetles chemically defend themselves against predators. For example, bombardier beetles eject toxic chemicals at a temperature of 100°C to repel attackers. We have investigated how a bombardier beetle Pheropsophus jessoensis can successfully defend against frogs, toads, and praying  mantises.

Publications

Sugiura, S. & Hayashi, M. (2023) Bombardiers and assassins: mimetic interactions between unequally defended insects. PeerJ, 11: e15380.

Sugiura, S. & Date, T. (2022) Bombardier beetles repel invasive bullfrogs. PeerJ, 10:e13805.

Sugiura, S. (2021) Beetle bombing always deters praying mantises. PeerJ, 9: e11657.

Sugiura, S. (2018) Anti-predator defences of a bombardier beetle: is bombing essential for successful escape from frogs? PeerJ, 6:e5942.

Sugiura, S. & Sato, T. (2018) Successful escape of bombardier beetles from predator digestive systems. Biology Letters, 14: 20170647.

Sugiura, S., Yamazaki, K. & Masuya, H. (2010) Incidence of infection of carabid beetles by laboulbenialean fungi in different habitats. European Journal of Entomology, 107(1): 73-79.

Yamazaki, K. & Sugiura, S. (2006) Feeding of a shore-inhabiting ground beetle,Scarites aterrimus (Coleoptera: Carabidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin, 60(01): 75-79.

Yamazaki, K., Sugiura, S. & Kawamura, K. (2003) Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and other insect predators overwintering in arable and fallow fields in central Japan. Applied Entomology and Zoology, 38(4): 449-459.

Yamazaki, K., Sugiura, S. & Kawamura, K. (2002) Environmental factors affecting the overwintering distribution of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) at a forest floor in central Japan. Entomological Science, 5(2): 125-130.

Yamazaki, K., Sugiura, S. & Kawamura, K. (1999) Overwintering ground beetle assemblages along the Kizu River, Kyoto. Entomological Science, 2(1): 33-40.