Subject: Beetle identification
Geographic location of the bug: Perth- western australia
Date: 09/01/2018
Time: 02:56 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Bug was found in lawn when removing african beetles.
Is over 6mm in length.
Wondering what the beetle is and if it is destructive to plants or harmful to pets
How you want your letter signed: Regards, Daniel Jones
Dear Daniel,
Because of its red head, this is an amazing looking Rove Beetle in the family Staphylinidae, and we identified it as Creophilus erythrocephalus, commonly called a Devil’s Coach Horse, thanks to images on Wild South Australia. According to Museums Victoria: “Devil’s Coach Horses eat maggots (fly larvae) and are usually found living in rotting animal carcasses.” While that might seem unsavory, we would consider them beneficial as they help to control Fly populations. The species is also pictured on Atlas of Living Australia. The common name Devil’s Coach Horse is also used with a European species of Rove Beetle that has naturalized in North America. This Devil’s Coach Horse does not look like it died of natural causes, so we are tagging this posting as Unnecessary Carnage.
