208. Narrow-collared Snail-eating Beetle

I figured after writing out that English name that no further text would be required! It is descriptive. The long neck enables this beetle to reach inside of the shell of a snail and chew away. They also are quite keen on slugs and I have seen them scurrying along the path with a small slug clutched firmly. They will also take out worms and spiders. 

Like many of the ground beetles, Scaphinotus angusticollis is flightless, their wings shortened to uselessness. Although mainly nocturnal, a few do venture out in the daytime from their cover places under rotting logs, leaf litter or moss. There was a PhD these done out of UBC by Suzy Lavallee that studied S. augusticollis's response in body condition and movements to forest harvesting. The differences in responses were correlated to the snails found and down woody debris that could be used for cover in the clear-cut or forested areas. I think that is very cool that ecological studies  studying predator/prey complexes in varying ecosystems can be done at this scale.