Comments for
black mean ant looking insect (Rove Beetle)

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Rove beetle
by: Moni

Gary of Normandy
This rove beetle is called the devil's coach-horse beetle (Ocypus olens) which is a very common and widespread European beetle. It has been there for a very long time. Sorry the gardener has not seen it before, but there are millions of insects and it would take serious searching to see even thousands of the various species. That is what is so cool about bugs! :-)
Normandy Now Has These 2011
by: Gary Nadeau

My wife's broom was attacked by this scorpion looking narrow body beetle about 3 cm. long when I photographed it lifting its tail like a scorpion. However this was in Normandy, France between Saint Lo and Bayeux. Our gardener has only just this year begun to see them, and he is 65. He thinks they came from Africa with a shipment of vegies.
Rove Beetle
by: Moni

cj
NO...it is a rove beetle...family Staphylinidae!
No matter what country you are from.
ground beetle is what they r called
by: cj

they can move both ways sting and pinch u and i also learned they can swim when i put it in the toilet i thought it was dead but it was just playing dead scary right :0
Rove Beetle
by: Anonymous (Peterhead/Aberdeenshire)

Found 2 squashed under the wheelie bin yesterday and just thought how weird they looked but my partner found one running around in the house and when he prodded it with his shoe it arched up and angrily showed its horns. Scary looking thing and couldn't believe how long it was, 2cm long!
Rove Beetle (Glasgow)
by: Tanya

Yeah I saw one of these yesterday when I was out with my daughter. Thougot it looked to exotic to be a native of the UK (cos its too cold) but after reading these posts I see that this is not the case. Really quite mean looking.
Rove beetle
by: Moni

Dawn
If the insect in the photo is what you have they are beneficial insects and should not be killed....they are not hurting anything except killing some insects you do not want!
Not sure why you have so many in your house...they like dark places. They may have come in if you have a basement or attracted to lights at night. If you have mulch right next to the house foundation that might encourage them also.
Try putting them outside, then, seal your doors and windows and pull mulch back a foot away from the house.
Without knowing exactly what insect you have and the conditions of your house and yard, it is difficult to know what else to tell you.
They're everywhere!
by: Dawn

I live in Annapolis, MD and have never seen these bugs until a few weeks ago. Now, it seems Luke every time I turn around, there's another one. I've seen them in my basement on the carpet, in the kitchen on the floor, on the counters, even on top of my fridge, and in my shower. I've sprayed Ortho Home Defense everywhere, but it doesn't seem to affect them. I usually only see one at a time, but have seen as many as four together. Does anyone have any recommendations to get rid of these things?
I am glad I found this post.
by: Alicia

I live in Tacoma, Wa and before this summer I had never seen this insect. This bug freaked me out a bit and my daughter caught one tonight and wanted to know what kind of bug it is.
Found one in Seattle
by: Anonymous

I get the willies just looking at the picture. We found one of these in our office building. They don't live in colonies do they? I don't think I can handle seeing another one in person. The one we found was at least 1.25" long. I couldn't believe how agressive it was...yikes!
Rove beetle
by: Moni

Bob(Scotland)
According to one website Ocypus winkleri is the most common in the UK and therefore may be your beetle.
The Devil's coachorse beetle is a predator, hunting mostly at night, feeding on invertebrates including worms and woodlice, as well as carrion.
Please the comments at the post below.

Read more: http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/hard-backed-insect-devils-coachhorse-beetle.html#ixzz0QHcvEcSB
found 2 together [scotland]
by: bob

got afright when moving wheelie bin one flattened other one had tail up as if ready to attack it got away
Rove beetle
by: Moni

Anonymous
Please! read the comments below yours....it tells you what this insect is. If you would like more information you may send in your photo for verification.
what the hell is this?
by: Anonymous

i found this bug in my home it looks like i huge ant headed black giant termite. its head looks like a bigger than carpenter ant head but same deep black. its tuff and moves its tale like pitchers when touched. my first thought was a super termite, but black. my son showed us that it has wings that it can take out and put back in. the wings are yellow gold color and a little like termite wings. we studies this bug sent photos to a local pest control, and the said it was blurry and looked like a weevil. no its no weevil anyone know?
rove beetle
by: Moni

Jacob
Glad you have identified your critter. Now you can let the class and teacher know it is not a scorpion but a rove beetle!
found in class
by: jacob

i live in germany and we found one crawling around in the class a few minutes ago it is wickedd.....when i got closer, its tail propped up and the pinchers got really big...crazy
lol my teacher thought it was a scorpion
Rove beetle
by: Moni

Joe
You have found a Rove beetle. Unlike most beetles the hard wings on the back only cover part of the abdomen(the tail section). Since you are in the Bay Area of California, you may have the Devil's Coach Horse rove beetle. These are 1 - 1.25 inches long...how long was the one you saw? This particular rove beetle is known for it's defensive posture...so besides the pinchers and tail raising they can also spray from stink glands.

Rove beetles are predators. If this is the Devil's Coach Horse rove then it eats snails, slugs and other pests. So, it might be a good critter to keep around in the garden.
Great find!

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