Harpalus rufipes, commonly known as the strawberry seed beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Harpalinae.[1] It was described by Degeer in 1774, with the epithet rufipes being derived from Latin for red-footed.[1]Harpalus rufipes is native to Europe.[2][3] As a predator, Harpalus rufipes is used as a biological agent to control seed-eating pests including aphids[4] and slugs such as Deroceras reticulatum,[5][6] though they are known to feed on the seeds of strawberries.[7] It has been used as a model organism to investigate the immune system of beetles,[6] and a study has shown it is sensitive to engine oil and diesel oil.[8]
^Carl H. Lindroth 1974 Coleoptera. Carabidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects Vol 4 Part 2. Royal Entomological Society,London pdfArchived 2014-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
^El-Danasoury, H.; Cerecedo, C.; Córdoba, M.; Iglesias-Piñeiro, J. (March 2017). "Predation by the carabid beetle Harpalus rufipes on the pest slug Deroceras reticulatum in the laboratory: Harpalus rufipes predation on Deroceras reticulatum". Annals of Applied Biology. 170 (2): 251–262. doi:10.1111/aab.12337.