The family of ground beetles (Carabidae) is an important group of Coleoptera order carnivores (Adephaga) suborder, which participates in many ecosystems processes. A significant number of family members are obligate zoophages that affect the population dynamics of the soil and litter elements. Some of them consume both plant and animal food (mixophytophages), some are herbivorous (phytophagous), others consume the remains of animals and plants (saprophages). Among the phytophages there are dangerous pests of agricultural and forest plants. With a sharp reduction or disappearance of animal food, and due to various environmental factors, the predators change to phytophage life. With the change of climate and ecological niches, these species can significantly damage agricultural crops. In the biocenosis of the central forest steppes of Ukraine there were recorded 35 species of ground beetles of 16 families. Populations of 6 species dominated: Bembidion quadrimacullatum L., Bembidion properans Stoph., Calathus erratus C. Sahlb., Calathus (Doluchus) halensis Schall., Harpalus rufipes Deg., Poecilus cupreus L. The share of Harpalus rufipes Deg. in the total number of identified ground beetles was 53.1 %, and the share of Poecilus cupreus L. – 18.8 %, Calathus erratus C. Sahlb. – 6.9 %, Bembidion quadrimacullatum L. – 3.9 %, Bembidion properans Stoph. – 3.7 %, Calathus (Doluchus) halensis Schall. – 3.1 %. The number of other species did not exceed 3 % for each taxon of the total number of beetles and made 10.5 % in total. Such species as Abax carinatus Duft., Acupalpus meridianus L., Amara familiaris Duft., Badister bipustulatus F., Calathus ambiguous Payk., Carabus scabriusculus Olivier, Carabus cancellatus Hl., Harpalus anxius Duft., Harpalus froelichi Sturm., Harpalus smaragdinus Duft., Harpalus tardus Panz., Harpalus xanthopus winkleri Schaub., Pterostichus melanarius Hl., Pterostichus niger Schall., Cylindera germanica L. were found solitary. 57.1 % of beetles belong to the class zoophages who are representatives of seven groups of living forms. The group of Epigeobionts walking large of subclass Epygeobiont is represented by five species. They are adapted to the on foot migration, hunting on the soil surface and destroying the sedentary prey. The Calosoma auropunctatum Hb is dominating among them. This species is frequent in the shelterbelts and in the fields it can be observed rarely. The species Carabus violaceus L. was more found in the shelterbelts and only few of it could be observed in the fields of peas. The life on the ground makes them vulnerable to chemical treatments. The Celindera germanica L. is representative of Epigeobionts flying and is an incidental species. The specialized residents of litter and soil cracks Bembidion quadrimacullatum L. and Bembidion properans Stoph. could be massively observed on the fields. The most widespread among residents of litter and soil is a predator Poecilus cupreus L., he was found in large quantities in all examined habitats. Another representative of Geobionts subclass (group Geobionts running-digging) Broscus cephalotes L. Usually turned out to be frequent in the fields of peas. These insects prey on the soil surface or wait for the victim in burrows under lumps of soil, stones. The rest of species according to the type of feeding belong to the class mixophytophages and make up to 42.9 % of all detected ground beetles. The most of them belong to the group of Geohortobionts harpaloid, the specialized inhabitants of soil and herbal layers. Their diet includes plant and animal food. Most of them eat apart of plant food the rotting plant remains. Among the ground beetles consuming the mixed food, the dominating is representative of the group Stratohortobionts Harpalus rufipes Deg. Its imago was found in large quantities in shelter belts, on the fields of cereals, leguminous crops, but especially on the corn fields. But in the research years, these insects did not make any threat to crops. There were found no plants damaged by the ground beetle. In the fields of cereals and in the shelter belts, there was found a representative of subgroup Geohortobionts zabrus – Zabrus tenebriodes Goeze. This species was noticed as the pest of cereals. The imago is able to climb on the stalks and eat the grain, and also to dig into the soil to lay their eggs.
The insect is found in small quantity, its share of all identified ground beetles was 0.48 %. All kinds of the found ground beetles are typical for the forest steppe zone, and only Harpalus anxius Duft. is typical for the steppe zone. This species is rare and makes about 0.06 %. The species composition of ground beetles on the crops fields is typical for the forest steppe zone, and only Harpalus anxius Duft. is rare and typical for the steppe zone. The most widespread among residents of litter and soil is a predator Poecilus cupreus L., it was found in significant amount (18.8 %) in all examined habitats.

Key words: ground beetles, zoophages, mixophytophages, phytophages, biocenosis, fields, shelterbelts, perennial legumes.