Habitat characteristics of grassland Pterostichus species (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

.1 Pterostichus species were sampled on ninety‐two sites distributed throughout north‐east England using pitfall trapping. 2 The incidence of each species was related to measured site environmental variables using logistic regression. 3 Four species groups were identified on the basis of size. The extent of overlap in habitat types between species in each group varied. Two large species overlapped considerably whilst the smaller species showed different responses to one or more environmental variable. 4 Possible causes of the differences in habitat overlap between Pterostichus species are discussed.