Aggregation and sexual attraction in Carabus – a field experiment

Individuals need to find both suitable environmental conditions and mating partners which might be especially difficult for solitary species. Here, we experimentally studied the role of olfactory cues in attracting conspecifics in several forest-dwelling Carabus species. We considered two possible ways of attraction, general aggregation and sexual attraction. In a field experiment we used single male and female beetles as baits in dry pitfall...