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

Trechus subtilis Barr, 1962 - 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 subtilis belongs to subgenus Microtrechus and was included in the Vandykei Species Group by Donabauer (2009). In addition to subtilis, Bosquet (2012) includes 10 other species in this group, one of which occur the mountains of southwest Virginia and the rest in the North Carolina mountains or on the ridges forming the border between North Carolina and Tennessee.
Species Status: The type locality is Mt. Sterling in the Great Smoky Mountains, Haywood County, NC (Barr, 1962)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: BugGuide, Wikipedia, GBIF   iNaturalistTechnical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Barr (1962)                                                              
Comments: Members of this genus generally show too little variation in pattern for standard photographs to be used to identify particular species. According to Barr(1962), T. subtilis is "similar superficially to barberi."
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 3.1-3.3 mm, mean 3.2 (Barr, 1962)
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 (Barr, 1962, 1979).
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 Mt. Sterling is 5,842' in elevation and supports a stand of Spruce-fir Forest. Eaglenest Mountain in the Plott Balsams is about 4,940' in elevation and supports a remnant stand of Spruce forest near the summit. This was the site of an old hotel and the summit is currently cleared and has a small private development (based on Google Earth). Tennessee Bluff, in the Bald Mountains, is about 4,640' in elevation, with the summit covered with hardwood forest but with a stand of conifers (White Pines?) located just below the top. Catloochee Balsam is 5,970' and is covered with Spruce-fir Forest. Watterock Knob is 6,293' in elevation and also supports a stand of Spruce-Fir Forest.
See also Habitat Account for General High Elevation Forests
Diet: Predatory on small insects and other invertebrates
Observation Methods:
Abundance/Frequency: Both Barr (1962) and Donabauer (2009) considered this species to be very rare
Adult Phenology:
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [SR]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GH [G1] [S1S3]
State Protection:
Comments: Although NatureServe considers this species to be possibly extinct, Donabauer (2009) found specimens at several locations in 2004. Nonetheless, this species has a highly restricted global range and was reported to be rare at the sites where it occurs. As a high elevation endemic, it is highly likely to be highly vulnerable to the warming and drying impacts of climate change.