Using radio telemetry to track ground beetles: Movement of Carabus ullrichii

Abstract

Radio telemetry is an advanced method for studying movement behaviour which is one of the keys to understanding species ecology and biology. Using this method we studied the movement of Carabus ullrichii Germar, 1824, a large and apterous ground beetle species. Four individuals (one male, three females) were equipped with 0.28 g transmitters and radio-tracked for 10 days in three hour intervals in mosaic rural area; meadow and orchard. We found that maximum distance covered by an individual during this period was 120.9 m and C. ullrichii travelling speed in such habitat ranged from 1.69 to 13.43 m per day. Our preliminary results indicate that diurnal activity of this species is not affected by light conditions but by temperature. Beetles were most active at temperatures 15.0-17.4°C. Here we provide the first study of the movement ability of this species.