The larvae hatch in mid-May, just when aphids begin to congregate on the buds of roses. You could say the common ground beetle and its cousin, the fiery searcher, are the shy bullies of the garden. Feeding only at night, they run for cover if dislodged from the daytime hiding places. You may have come across them when pulling tall weeds, moving old pieces firewood or dislodging garden debris. Their heavily armored bodies move quickly, albeit clumsily, across lumpy ground.
Ground beetles are almost black and shiny.
About an inch long, they possess intimidating pincer jaws that look menacing, leading the unsuspecting gardener to want to squash them. Fiery searchers, a ground beetle also, have thick, metallic green elytra. When frightened, these beetles will point their rumps upward and give off unwelcome secretions, which can put off the unaware gardener. Despite their frightfulness, ground beetles are a treasure to have in the garden. They ferociously consume caterpillars, cutworms, root maggots, slugs and snails.