Beetles of North Carolina
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Scientific Name: Common Name:
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View Carabidae Members:
Members of Trechus:
5 NC Records

Trechus plottbalsamensis Donabauer, 2005 - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Family: Carabidae Subfamily: Trechinae                                                             
Comments: One of 82 species in this genus that have been recorded in North America north of Mexico, 42 of which occur in North Carolina (Bosquet, 2012). Trechus plottbalsamensis belongs to subgenus Microtrechus and was included in the Uncifer Species Group by Donabauer (2005a). In addition to plottbalsamensis, Bosquet (2012) includes 10 other species in this group, all of which occur in the North Carolina mountains or on the ridges forming the border between North Carolina and Tennessee.
Species Status: The type locality is Waterrock Knob on the Jackson-Haywood County line in the Plott Balsams (Donabauer, 2005a)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: BugGuide, Wikipedia, GBIF   iNaturalistTechnical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Donabauer (2005a)                                                              
Comments: "A medium-sized species for Microtrechus, similar to T. uncifer" (Donabauer, 2005a). Members of this genus generally show too little variation in pattern for standard photographs to be used to identify particular species.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 3.1 - 3.4 mm (Donabauer, 2005a)
Structural Features: As a member of subgenus Microtrechus, only the first segment of front tarsus is enlarged in males. This species is distinguished from other members of its species group morphometrically and by features of the aedeagus (Donabauer, 2005a).
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥
 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) <
 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)
Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The summit of Waterrock Knob is 6,293' and is covered with an isolated stand of Spruce-fir Forest. The type specimens were collected from a single site by sifting wet leaf litter from beside a spring (Donabauer, 2005a)
See also Habitat Account for Spruce-Fir Forests
Diet: Predatory on small insects and other invertebrates
Observation Methods:
Abundance/Frequency: Known only from the 7 specimens in the type series
Adult Phenology: Not enough information exists for this species to determine its phenology
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [SR]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] [S1]
State Protection:
Comments: This species is known from single, isolated stand of Spruce-fir Forest and was considered very rare by its discoverer. It is likely to be among the most highly threatened species to the warming and drying impacts of climate change and to the other factors that are degrading and opening up the canopy of the Spruce-fir Forests upon which it depends for its microclimate.