The Fiery Searcher is one of the largest ground beetles. Most ground beetles are shiny black, but these are brightly colored. The wing covers (elytra) on its back are metallic green with red margins, and the head and legs are deep metallic blue or purple with a gold margin. It can grow to almost to one and a half inches long and live up to 3 years, which is a long time for an insect. They are common throughout the US and Canada in crop fields, where it's food is plentiful. Fiery Searchers also live in open woods, fields and gardens. They are often under rocks, logs, leaves, bark or decomposing wood. They will even climb trees in search of their favorite prey: caterpillars. So they are also called “Caterpillar Hunters.” They are a beneficial insect because they eat pest caterpillars out of gardens and crop fields.