Strawberry seed beetle | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Suborder: | Adephaga |
Family: | Carabidae |
Subfamily: | Harpalinae |
Tribe: | Harpalini |
Genus: | Harpalus |
Species: | H. rufipes |
Binomial name | |
Harpalus rufipes (Degeer, 1774) | |
Harpalus rufipes, commonly known as the strawberry seed beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Harpalinae. [1] It was described by Degeer in 1774, with the epithet rufipes being derived from Latin for red-footed. [1] Harpalus rufipes is native to Europe. [2] [3] As a predator, Harpalus rufipes is used as a biological agent to control seed-eating pests including aphids [4] and slugs such as Deroceras reticulatum , [5] [6] though they are known to feed on the seeds of strawberries. [7] It has been used as a model organism to investigate the immune system of beetles, [6] and a study has shown it is sensitive to engine oil and diesel oil. [8]