Using radio telemetry to track ground beetles: Movement of Carabus ullrichii

Radio telemetry is an advanced method for studying movement behaviour which is one of the keys to under-standing species ecology and biology. Using this method we studied the movement of Carabus ullrichii Germar, 1824, a large and apterous ground beetle species. Four individuais (one male, three females) were equipped with 0.28 g transmitters and radio-tracked for 10 days in three hour intervals in mosaic rural area; meadow and orchard. We found that maximum distance covered by an individual during this period was 120.9 m and C. ullrichii travelling speed in such habitat ranged from 1.69 to 13.43 m per day. Our preliminary results indicate that diurnal activity of this species is not affected by light conditions but by temperature. Beetles were most active at temperatures 15.0-17.4°C. Here we provide the first study of the movement ability of this species.