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Ground beetles are one of the largest groups of beetles in North America. The ground beetles consist of many species of beetles that can have a wide range of color and body shape. Colors of the beetle are usually brown and black but some species have a metallic hue and can be very bright in color. The common ground beetles have a diet that consists of worms, maggots, and many insects. Beetles’ best asset for finding food is their speed. In relation to their body length, they are among the fastest land animals. 

Beetles live under tree bark and rocks for protection. They are often hunted by birds and smaller mammals. The ground beetle is very beneficial to the ecosystem because of all the insects they eat. Without the common ground beetle, many plants and gardens would be unable to thrive because of all the caterpillars and worms feeding on the plants. Some ground beetles can be harmful if there is a large quantity of the beetle. 

Ground beetles help maintain the surrounding bug populations in their environments. If there is an overpopulated environment they are great at maintaining those populations to a healthy size but if there is a low amount of bugs in the area they can cause harm to the low populated ecosystems.

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