The Devil's coach-horse beetle is a species of beetle belonging to the large family of the rove beetles. It was originally included in the genus "Staphylinus" in 1764, and some authors and biologists still use this classification.
Similar species: Beetles
By Paul Dirksen
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Uploaded Nov 15, 2020. Captured Nov 15, 2020 11:16 in Scherpenzeelseweg, 3956 Leersum, Netherlands.
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The Devil’s coach horse beetle (Ocypus olens) is a powerful predator in the insect world. It’s sleek, black body is as dark as its reputation. When, threatened, it bends and raises its flexible abdomen, striking a pose reminiscent to that of a scorpion. But, unlike a scorpion, it cannot sting. However, it can give a powerfully painful bite! Incidentally, it also emits a foul-smelling odor.
The Devil’s coach horse feeds on invertebrates, such as worms, spiders, moths, slugs, caterpillars, and woodlice. It uses its mandibles (jaws) to cut and smash up its prey into a bolus that it then repeatedly chews, swallows, and regurgitates until it is reduced to a blob of liquid that can finally be digested. Yum? {Spotted in the Netherlands by JungleDragon user, Paul Dirksen} #JungleDragon #Devilscoachhorsebeetle #Ocypusolens
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