One of the Largest Insect Species Found in Serbia: The "Large Violet Ground Beetle"

The recent scientific confirmation of the "large violet ground beetle" (Carabus scabrosus) in Serbia marks a significant entomological discovery for the country. This impressive insect, belonging to the Carabidae family, was identified through a scientific paper published in the leading national journal, Acta Entomologica Serbica. The initial finding of a single adult specimen in 2015 near the village of Gradinje, close to the Bulgarian border, suggests the beetle has been present in Serbia for over a decade, though its rarity is emphasized by the difficulty in finding further examples.

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The presence of the species Carabus scabrosus, known as the "large violet ground beetle," has been confirmed for the territory of Serbia for the first time in a scientific paper recently published in the leading national scientific journal Acta Entomologica Serbica.

This discovery is particularly noteworthy given the genus Carabus's diversity, with nearly 1,000 recognized species globally and 44 known in the Balkans alone, many of which are endemic. The subgenus Procerus, to which C. scabrosus belongs, is characterized by its large size, inability to fly, and distinctive robust features, making it visually striking. Serbia has previously recorded only one other species from this subgenus, the "giant ground beetle" (Carabus gigas), which is more widespread.

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During routine annual monitoring of the Nišava River water quality near Dimitrovgrad, Dr. Boris Novaković, to his great surprise, noticed a male "large violet ground beetle" in the coastal vegetation on the riverbank, near the water, and then collected it.

The "large violet ground beetle" can exceed 50 mm in length, placing it among Europe's largest beetles. Its appearance, with bulging, rough, and warty elytra and a metallic blue or violet sheen, makes it a visually captivating find. The Institute of Zoology at the Faculty of Biology in Belgrade, which announced the finding, highlights the importance of continued biodiversity research within Serbia. This discovery underscores the rich, and perhaps still largely undocumented, natural heritage of the region.

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Despite numerous targeted efforts over the past decade, including manual searches and trapping in the Nišava valley from Dimitrovgrad to Pirot, the authors of the scientific paper have not managed to collect additional specimens of this species, which suggests that the species can be considered rare in Serbia for now.