Nomius pygmaeus

(Dejean, 1831)

stink beetle, stinking beetle

Nomius pygmaeus is a small ground beetle in Carabidae, the sole representative of tribe Psydrini. emit a distinctive repugnant odor when captured or disturbed, earning the "stink ." The exhibits a remarkably disjunct global distribution, occurring in North America from Canada to California and sporadically across parts of Europe and southwestern Asia.

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Pronunciation

How to pronounce Nomius pygmaeus: /ˈnoʊ.mi.us pɪɡˈmiː.ʊs/

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Identification

Distinguished from other small carabid beetles by its membership in the isolated tribe Psydrini; specific diagnostic characters for field identification are not well documented in available sources. The "stink " refers to its defensive odor emission when handled.

Images

Habitat

Forest zones in mountainous regions; one documented observed in clearings at approximately 1100 m elevation in the Talysh mountains. Specific preferences in North American portions of its range are not well documented.

Distribution

Disjunct distribution spanning three continents: North America (Canada, Lake Superior region to California); Europe (France, Corsica, Sardinia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece); and southwestern Asia (Talysh region, southwest coast of the Caspian Sea in what is now Azerbaijan).

Behavior

have been observed flying very low at sunset in forest clearings. When captured, individuals emit a repugnant odor reminiscent of that produced by lacewings (Chrysopa, Neuroptera), serving as a chemical defense mechanism.