Bombardier Beetle
Brachinus crepitans
Brachinus crepitans is a species of ground beetle in the Brachininae subfamily that can be found in Europe, central and west Asia, and northern Africa.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachinus_crepitans
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Coleoptera
Family
Carabidae
Genus
Brachinus
Bombardier Beetle belongs to the family Carabidae, order Coleoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Brachinus crepitans is a species of ground beetle in the Brachininae subfamily that can be found in Europe, central and west Asia, and northern Africa.
The Bombardier Beetle faces severe population declines due to habitat destruction from agricultural intensification and urban development across its European range. Pesticide use in agricultural areas has significantly reduced prey availability and directly impacts beetle survival, while climate change is altering the moisture and temperature conditions essential for their ground-dwelling lifestyle.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Inhabits moist soil environments including riverbanks, wetland margins, agricultural field edges, and areas under stones or logs in temperate European ecosystems. Requires loose, well-drained soils with adequate moisture and abundant ground-dwelling invertebrate prey.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Bombardier Beetle faces severe population declines due to habitat destruction from agricultural intensification and urban development across its European range. Pesticide use in agricultural areas has significantly reduced prey availability and directly impacts beetle survival, while climate change is altering the moisture and temperature conditions essential for their ground-dwelling lifestyle.
Agricultural intensification and pesticide use
Climate change affecting soil moisture regimes
Urban development and habitat fragmentation
Loss of prey species due to ecosystem degradation
Soil compaction from intensive land use
Community Sightings
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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). Bombardier Beetle (Brachinus crepitans). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/bombardier-beetle