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

Trechus vandykei vandykei (Jeannel, 1927) - 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). This species was placed in the Vandykei Species Group by Barr (1962). This group now contains 10 species, all of which occur in North Carolina with some extending into the neighboring states (Bosquet, 2012).
Species Status: The type locality is the Black Mountains (Jeannel, see Bosquet, 2012). The nominate subspecies was split from subspecies pisgahensis by Barr (1979), with both raised to full species status by Donabauer (2009). Bosquet (2012), however, treats the two forms as subspecies, which we follow here.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: BugGuide, Wikipedia, GBIF   iNaturalistTechnical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Barr (1962, 1979)                                                              
Comments: "Dark piceous, shining, robust and subconvex" (Barr, 1962). 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]: 2.4-2.9 mm, mean 2.7 (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: This subspecies occurs at high elevations, with all sites around 5,000' or above. Several of these sites support Spruce-fir Forests but others are covered with high elevation hardwoods.
See also Habitat Account for General High Elevation Forests
Diet: Predatory on small insects and other invertebrates
Observation Methods:
Abundance/Frequency: Considered common by both Barr (1979) and Donabauer (2009)
Adult Phenology:
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [W3]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S2S3]
State Protection:
Comments: This species is endemic to a small area in the Southern Appalachians but has several populations where it is considered relatively common. Nonetheless, it appears to be restricted to high elevations and is likely to be vulnerable to the warming and drying impacts of climate change.