Elaphrus (Elaphrus) lecontei Crotch 1876
Geographic: NEA
Distribution: Native, New World. Canada – AB, BC, MB, ON, NT, SK; USA – AZ, CA, CO,
ID, KS, MN, MT, ND, NE, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY.
Common name: LeConte’s Marsh and Bog beetle
Synonyms: Elaphrus lecontei Crotch, 1876:246
Elaphrus devinctus Casey, 1920:139
Elaphrus spissicornis Casey, 1924:18
Macrohabitat: Lowlands to mountains, 447 – 2870 meters altitude, in alkali
sloughs with emergent vegetation, margins of lakes, ponds, reservoirs, marshes, rivers, and
brooks; and in MN on mesic prairie. Microhabitat: Adults are ground-dwelling and occur
on exposed moist, wet muddy, alkaline, or bare substrate and under dead mats of duckweed
(Lemnaceae). In most of its range, this species is found near slightly alkaline water. In CA, UT,
and NT, it occurs on deeply crusted alkaline beaches, free of vegetation. Dispersal abilities:
Macropterous, capable of flight; swift runners. Seasonal occurrence: Adults have been
found in March – August, and October; teneral adults in early June, and in August; probably a
spring breeder. Behavior: Adults are diurnal, predaceous, and run in the sunshine on watersaturated
substrate near the water’s edge; they take cover under small stones, or in crevices.
Adults overwinter in the substrate. The substrate of upper beaches in some of the localities
studied by Goulet (1983) is red, thus coppery-colored individuals in spring time would be
cryptically colored.