What this insect? Pest or good one? Thanks.

Joined
May 3, 2017
Messages
129
Reaction score
39
Location
California
Hardiness Zone
10a
Country
United States
What this insect? Pest or good one? Thanks.
 

Attachments

  • Capture.JPG
    Capture.JPG
    51.4 KB · Views: 253
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
4,224
Reaction score
1,485
Location
California
Country
United States
What this insect? Pest or good one? Thanks.
This is a Giant Rove Beetle (Ocypus olens, Staphylinidae), also known as a Devil's Coach-horse Beetle. This species is native to parts of Europe and North Africa, but has been introduced into other parts of the world including western North America. Large specimens can be over 3 cm. long. This species is a predator not an hebivoer, so I guess it's a 'good one'. (I like it anyway.) They can bite and spray a noxious fluid if threatened, but will not deliberately try to bother or harm a human or large animal.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 13, 2021
Messages
3,403
Reaction score
2,113
Country
United Kingdom
Devil's coach horse was my immediate reaction too, definitely a good one to have. Some one once pointed out to me that on the whole the predators move fast and the herbivores move slowly, it's not a hard and fast rule, but it can be a good general guide.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
26,584
Messages
256,563
Members
13,256
Latest member
corncob

Latest Threads

Top