Philonthus spinipes

Ecology. Philonthus spinipes is a typical coprophile, colonising various types of dead organic matter such as excrements, compost piles, carrion, accumulated plant residue. It is found most frequently in droppings on pasture (Burakowski et al. 2000; László 2004; Pawłowski 2008). It is a predatory species, the larvae and imagines successfully hunting other small insects colonising excrements, e. g. coprophagous beetles or flies. It is defined as an expansive species, extremely fast colonizing new, probably open habitats throughout Poland (Szujecki 2008). In the mountains it may reach the upper tree limit (Schülke & Uhlig 1989 b; Brandstetter & Kapp 1994; László 2004). The beetles can easily reach the islands (Rose & Möhlmann 1993). In such a microhabitat it probably competes with native species, particularly Philonthus nitidus (FABR. 1787). This opinion was expressed in a study by H. Schillhammer (1999): “ Philonthus spinipes is a habitat competitor with P. nitidus and has gradually displaced it, with the consequence that, especially in Central Europe, P. nitidus has become very rare ”.