Bembidion monticola
Local name: Bjergglansløber
Bjergglansløber (Bembidion monticola) is a small, metallic ground beetle endemic to high-altitude mountain environments in Scandinavia. This diminutive predator displays a characteristic bronze-green sheen and measures only 3-4mm in length, making it one of the smaller members of its genus.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Miroslav Deml, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Coleoptera
Family
Carabidae
Genus
Bembidion
Bembidion monticola belongs to the family Carabidae, order Coleoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Bjergglansløber (Bembidion monticola) is a small, metallic ground beetle endemic to high-altitude mountain environments in Scandinavia. This diminutive predator displays a characteristic bronze-green sheen and measures only 3-4mm in length, making it one of the smaller members of its genus. As a specialized alpine predator, it plays a crucial role in controlling populations of small arthropods and decomposing organic matter in fragile mountain ecosystems.
Bembidion monticola, a ground beetle endemic to high-altitude environments in Scandinavia, faces severe threats from climate change as warming temperatures force suitable habitat upslope to increasingly restricted areas. The species' specialized alpine habitat requirements make it extremely vulnerable to environmental changes, with habitat loss and fragmentation representing the primary drivers of population decline.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This species inhabits the narrow zone of alpine and subalpine environments, specifically favoring moist areas near snowmelt streams, moss-covered rock crevices, and the edges of small mountain tarns above 1,200 meters elevation. It requires cool, consistently humid microhabitats with loose stone substrates and organic debris accumulation typical of high-altitude Scandinavian mountain plateaus.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Bembidion monticola, a ground beetle endemic to high-altitude environments in Scandinavia, faces severe threats from climate change as warming temperatures force suitable habitat upslope to increasingly restricted areas. The species' specialized alpine habitat requirements make it extremely vulnerable to environmental changes, with habitat loss and fragmentation representing the primary drivers of population decline.
Climate change and habitat loss
Habitat fragmentation
Temperature increase in alpine zones
Limited dispersal ability
Small population size
Community Sightings
Report a sightingNo community sightings yet. Be the first to report!
Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Bembidion monticola (Bembidion monticola). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/bjergglanslber