Species Path

Every creature below was pulled from the ground somewhere in Europe, dated, and logged. Pick one and follow it across thousands of years, from the oldest site where it turned up to the most recent.

The most well-traveled species

These turned up in the most different countries — likely stowaways of trade and travel rather than homebodies.

1

Grain Weevil24 countries

2

Water scavenger beetle19 countries

3

Otiorhynchus nodosus18 countries

4

Merchant Grain Beetle18 countries

5

Rove beetle17 countries

6

Dyschirius globosus17 countries

7

Smooth-chested Blackclock16 countries

8

Crenate Ocellate Rove Beetle16 countries

9

Ptinus fur16 countries

10

Hydrobius fuscipes15 countries

Rove beetleAnotylus rugosus351 sites in 17 countries · 1674550 BC → 1940 AD

Hydrobius fuscipesHydrobius fuscipes345 sites in 15 countries · 1674550 BC → 1840 AD

Agabus bipustulatusAgabus bipustulatus275 sites in 14 countries · 1674550 BC → 1725 AD

Dyschirius globosusDyschirius globosus269 sites in 17 countries · 648050 BC → 2001 AD

Megasternum obscurumMegasternum obscurum268 sites in 13 countries · 3954550 BC → 2005 AD

Ochthebius minimusOchthebius minimus248 sites in 11 countries · 1674550 BC → 2005 AD

Common Furniture-beetleAnobium punctatum233 sites in 13 countries · 1674550 BC → 1925 AD

Anotylus nitidulusAnotylus nitidulus225 sites in 11 countries · 648050 BC → 2005 AD

Coelostoma orbiculareCoelostoma orbiculare222 sites in 15 countries · 1674550 BC → 1650 AD

Lesteva longoelytrataLesteva longoelytrata210 sites in 14 countries · 397050 BC → 1912 AD

Smooth-chested BlackclockPterostichus diligens195 sites in 16 countries · 1674550 BC → 2004 AD

Platystethus arenariusPlatystethus arenarius192 sites in 13 countries · 363050 BC → 2005 AD

Crenate Ocellate Rove BeetleAcidota crenata191 sites in 16 countries · 1293800 BC → 2004 AD

Grain WeevilSitophilus granarius186 sites in 24 countries · 3050 BC → 1925 AD

Notaris acridulusNotaris acridulus180 sites in 11 countries · 648050 BC → 1750 AD

Bracken ClockPhyllopertha horticola178 sites in 10 countries · 4244 BC → 1750 AD

Coal-runnerPterostichus melanarius178 sites in 12 countries · 1293800 BC → 2005 AD

Hairy-horned Springtail-hunterLoricera pilicornis177 sites in 15 countries · 1674550 BC → 2005 AD

Cryptopleurum minutumCryptopleurum minutum176 sites in 13 countries · 575550 BC → 1925 AD

Water scavenger beetleCercyon analis169 sites in 19 countries · 316550 BC → 1925 AD

Ptinus furPtinus fur161 sites in 16 countries · 118550 BC → 1925 AD

Olophrum fuscumOlophrum fuscum154 sites in 15 countries · 1293800 BC → 2004 AD

Duckweed WeevilTanysphyrus lemnae152 sites in 9 countries · 1674550 BC → 1750 AD

Pterostichus strenuusPterostichus strenuus150 sites in 14 countries · 1293800 BC → 2005 AD

Beet Flea BeetleChaetocnema concinna149 sites in 12 countries · 215050 BC → 2005 AD

Colymbetes fuscusColymbetes fuscus148 sites in 7 countries · 1674550 BC → 1650 AD

Platystethus nitensPlatystethus nitens147 sites in 7 countries · 1674550 BC → 1750 AD

Chaetarthria seminulumChaetarthria seminulum146 sites in 11 countries · 1674550 BC → 1750 AD

Anotylus sculpturatusAnotylus sculpturatus145 sites in 6 countries · 316550 BC → 2005 AD

Black Carrion BeetlePhosphuga atrata144 sites in 11 countries · 1674550 BC → 1750 AD

Otiorhynchus nodosusOtiorhynchus nodosus143 sites in 18 countries · 504050 BC → 2004 AD

Calathus melanocephalusCalathus melanocephalus143 sites in 13 countries · 575550 BC → 2001 AD

Lesser BlackclockPterostichus minor141 sites in 12 countries · 1674550 BC → 2005 AD

jewel reed beetlePlateumaris sericea140 sites in 11 countries · 1674550 BC → 1750 AD

Eucnecosum brachypterumEucnecosum brachypterum138 sites in 14 countries · 1674550 BC → 1925 AD

Rove beetleXylodromus concinnus138 sites in 11 countries · 158550 BC → 1925 AD

Aphodius granariusAphodius granarius137 sites in 14 countries · 215050 BC → 1895 AD

Rove beetleOxytelus sculptus136 sites in 15 countries · 8795 BC → 1925 AD

Notaris aethiopsNotaris aethiops133 sites in 14 countries · 1293800 BC → 975 AD

Leaf beetlePrasocuris phellandrii133 sites in 9 countries · 1674550 BC → 1525 AD

Tipnus unicolorTipnus unicolor127 sites in 11 countries · 3099 BC → 1925 AD

Dark-footed harp ground beetleCalathus fuscipes126 sites in 8 countries · 648050 BC → 1925 AD

Patrobus septentrionisPatrobus septentrionis126 sites in 14 countries · 1293800 BC → 2004 AD

Helophorus grandisHelophorus grandis125 sites in 11 countries · 1293800 BC → 2005 AD

Forest small dung beetleOxyomus sylvestris121 sites in 8 countries · 3050 BC → 1710 AD

Pterostichus nigritaPterostichus nigrita120 sites in 14 countries · 1293800 BC → 2005 AD

Agrypnus murinaAgrypnus murina119 sites in 5 countries · 648050 BC → 1330 AD

Common Heart ShieldNebria brevicollis119 sites in 10 countries · 316550 BC → 2005 AD

Water scavenger beetleCercyon haemorrhoidalis119 sites in 11 countries · 41050 BC → 1925 AD

Broken-horned Rove BeetleGyrohypnus fracticornis119 sites in 13 countries · 45118 BC → 1850 AD

Bembidion dorisBembidion doris118 sites in 13 countries · 1674550 BC → 1650 AD

Hydraena testaceaHydraena testacea118 sites in 6 countries · 7550 BC → 1750 AD

Digger Slope-rumped BeetleClivina fossor116 sites in 14 countries · 1293800 BC → 2005 AD

Notiophilus aquaticusNotiophilus aquaticus113 sites in 12 countries · 3954550 BC → 2004 AD

Cercyon tristisCercyon tristis113 sites in 12 countries · 1293800 BC → 1750 AD

Black spotted ground beetleBembidion guttula112 sites in 8 countries · 1674550 BC → 2005 AD

Hairy Cellar BeetleMycetaea subterranea109 sites in 14 countries · 1549 BC → 1925 AD

Hister beetleAcritus nigricornis109 sites in 11 countries · 3050 BC → 1710 AD

Limnobaris dolorosaLimnobaris dolorosa108 sites in 10 countries · 1674550 BC → 1840 AD

Merchant Grain BeetleOryzaephilus surinamensis106 sites in 18 countries · 4348 BC → 1840 AD

Rove beetleTachinus rufipes106 sites in 10 countries · 1293800 BC → 2005 AD

Agonum fuliginosumAgonum fuliginosum105 sites in 12 countries · 1674550 BC → 2001 AD

Aglenus brunneusAglenus brunneus104 sites in 12 countries · 3050 BC → 1725 AD

CC

Corylophus crassidoidesCorylophus crassidoides104 sites in 5 countries · 1674550 BC → 1500 AD

Pill BeetleSimplocaria semistriata104 sites in 13 countries · 1674550 BC → 1986 AD

Platystethus nodifronsPlatystethus nodifrons102 sites in 12 countries · 358550 BC → 1410 AD

Grynobius planusGrynobius planus101 sites in 6 countries · 1674550 BC → 1525 AD

Clover Root WeevilSitona lepidus99 sites in 8 countries · 575550 BC → 2005 AD

Rove beetleCarpelimus bilineatus99 sites in 10 countries · 215050 BC → 1850 AD

Platystethus cornutusPlatystethus cornutus98 sites in 8 countries · 358550 BC → 1750 AD

Hygrotus inaequalisHygrotus inaequalis97 sites in 8 countries · 215050 BC → 1750 AD

Cytilus sericeusCytilus sericeus97 sites in 14 countries · 1674550 BC → 1715 AD

Green Dock BeetleGastrophysa viridula97 sites in 10 countries · 158550 BC → 2005 AD

Aphodius contaminatusAphodius contaminatus96 sites in 8 countries · 44625 BC → 1750 AD

Linear Rove BeetleXantholinus linearis96 sites in 5 countries · 89550 BC → 2005 AD

Staph beetlePycnoglypta lurida95 sites in 13 countries · 1293800 BC → 975 AD

Esolus parallelepipedusEsolus parallelepipedus95 sites in 7 countries · 648050 BC → 1812 AD

Small Heather WeevilMicrelus ericae95 sites in 11 countries · 1293800 BC → 1500 AD

Boreaphilus hennigianusBoreaphilus henningianus95 sites in 13 countries · 648050 BC → 975 AD

Epaphius secalisEpaphius secalis94 sites in 10 countries · 1674550 BC → 2001 AD

Copper Peacock BeetleElaphrus cupreus92 sites in 9 countries · 1674550 BC → 950 AD

Hydraena ripariaHydraena riparia91 sites in 7 countries · 1674550 BC → 1750 AD

Patrobus assimilisPatrobus assimilis89 sites in 14 countries · 575550 BC → 2001 AD

Rove beetleAnotylus tetracarinatus89 sites in 8 countries · 316550 BC → 2005 AD

BeetleHelophorus aquaticus89 sites in 9 countries · 575550 BC → 1750 AD

Pterostichus nigerPterostichus niger89 sites in 12 countries · 1674550 BC → 2001 AD

Aphodius aterAphodius ater88 sites in 8 countries · 45118 BC → 1750 AD

Onthophilus striatusOnthophilus striatus88 sites in 6 countries · 397050 BC → 1750 AD

Hairy Fungus BeetleTyphaea stercorea87 sites in 11 countries · 3050 BC → 1800 AD

Small Nettle WeevilNedyus quadrimaculatus87 sites in 9 countries · 6300 BC → 2005 AD

night-flying dung beetleAphodius rufipes87 sites in 8 countries · 99550 BC → 1925 AD

Bembidion bipunctatumBembidion bipunctatum87 sites in 13 countries · 575550 BC → 1725 AD

Limnius volckmariLimnius volckmari86 sites in 8 countries · 648050 BC → 1873 AD

Olophrum piceumOlophrum piceum86 sites in 9 countries · 358550 BC → 1209 AD

Ocillate rove beetleOmalium rivulare86 sites in 10 countries · 504050 BC → 1710 AD

Plateumaris braccataPlateumaris braccata85 sites in 9 countries · 648050 BC → 738 AD

Pseudoophonus rufipesPseudoophonus rufipes85 sites in 9 countries · 358550 BC → 2005 AD

Otiorhynchus arcticusOtiorhynchus arcticus84 sites in 8 countries · 504050 BC → 1995 AD

Staph beetleXantholinus longiventris83 sites in 7 countries · 35550 BC → 2005 AD

Nettle Pollen BeetleBrachypterus urticae81 sites in 8 countries · 9576 BC → 1650 AD