Bombardier Beetle
CR

Bombardier Beetle

Brachinus crepitans

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachinus_crepitans

Overview

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.

Threat summary

Habitat

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.

TERRESTRIAL· major

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Bombardier Beetle classified as Critically Endangered?
Bombardier Beetle is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. 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.
Where does Bombardier Beetle live?
Bombardier Beetle occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Bombardier Beetle?
The main threats to Bombardier Beetle are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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