Gold and Brown Rove Beetle
They can be found in various habitats, such as soil surfaces, under rocks, and near compost piles [2].
Surprisingly, rove beetles play an essential role as predators in the ecosystem.
They target various insect pests, such as maggots, caterpillars, grubs, aphids, mealybugs, and mites [3].
With such an appetite for agricultural pests, rove beetles are generally considered helpful organisms rather than a danger.
Rove Beetles Overview
Rove beetles are part of the insect group and belong to the Staphylinidae family. They fall under the Coleoptera order, which is the largest of all beetle orders.
With over 4000 species in North America alone, rove beetles are diverse and widespread.
These predatory beetles have some unique features:
- Elongated bodies
- Shortened elytra (wing covers)
- Abdominal segments exposed
In appearance, rove beetles vary in size from ¼ to 1 inch and can be shiny brown or black.
They are often found scurrying on the soil surface in various habitats and can be confused with small scorpions due to their habit of raising their tails when disturbed.
Some species of rove beetles focus on consuming pests in their larval stages, such as maggots and caterpillars, while others target adult insects like aphids and mealybugs.
In fact, a pair of adult rove beetles can eat up to 1200 root maggot eggs in a single day. However, they can be cannibalistic when food supplies are low.
It’s important to note that while rove beetles may appear fierce, they are not considered dangerous to humans.
Apart from some species like Paederus found in Asia that can cause health issues due to their toxin, paederin, most rove beetles cause no harm to us.
They might bite if handled, but their primary focus is on consuming harmful insects. Therefore, they serve as a beneficial aspect of integrated pest management.
Rove beetles not only possess fascinating features but also contribute positively to the environment by controlling pests.
With an extensive variety of species, these small but effective predators prove to be valuable allies in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.
Physical Characteristics
Adults and Larvae
Rove beetles undergo a complete metamorphosis, developing from eggs through larval stages before becoming adults.
Adult rove beetles are distinctive from larvae due to their more developed features.
- Adults: Adults have elongated bodies and visible mandibles, while their abdomens are exposed.
- Larvae: They are typically more compact in appearance, though mandibles can be present.
Color and Size
Rove beetles exhibit a range of colors, primarily brown or black. Their sizes can also vary, depending on the species:
- Small species: around ¼ inch in length
- Large species: up to 1 inch in length
Wings and Flight
Rove beetles are capable of flight. One key distinguishing feature is their shortened elytra or wing covers, which expose their abdominal segments when not in flight.
- When flying, they spread their wings beneath the elytra.
- When not flying, they often hold their wings folded beneath the elytra.
Comparison table
| Features | Adults | Larvae |
|---|---|---|
| Abdomen | Exposed | More compact |
| Color | Brown or black | Similar to adults |
| Size | ¼ to 1 inch in length | Smaller than adults |
| Wings | Shortened elytra | Absent |
| Mandibles | Visible and developed | Present but smaller |
Habitat and Behavior
Diet and Predation
Rove beetles are found on the soil surface in various habitats, such as gardens and forests.
They are predatory creatures and play a crucial role in controlling pests. Their diet primarily consists of:
- Small insects
- Mites
- Maggots
- Aphids
As biological control agents, they help protect crops and vegetation from infestations by preying on harmful insects.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The rove beetle reproduction process involves the following stages:
- Egg
- Larva
- Pupa
- Adult
Adults lay eggs in the soil or leaf litter. After hatching, larvae feed on pests before entering the pupal stage. These beetles can live up to 4 years, featuring overlapping generations.
Hairy Rove Beetle
Are Rove Beetles Dangerous? Rove Beetles and Human Interaction
Encounters in Homes
Rove beetles, found in various environments such as North America, might make their way into homes.
They’re often attracted to dead animals, so their presence indoors could indicate other pest issues like springtails or june bugs. These beetles may enter through doors or windows.
Rove Beetle Characteristics:
- Shiny brown or black
- ¼ – 1 inch in length
- Elongate and short-winged
- Scorpion-like appearance when disturbed
- Predatory insects
Prevention and Removal
To prevent rove beetles from entering your home, use pest management strategies such as:
- Sealing gaps around windows and doors
- Removing dead animals or pests
- Keeping garden plants and trees well-maintained
For removal, choose non-chemical methods to protect beneficial beetles that control pests like aphids and mites.
Pros:
- Environmentally friendly
- Protects beneficial insects
Cons:
- May require more effort or time
Bug Control Recommendation Tool
Potential Health Risks
While most rove beetles are harmless, some species like Paederus found in Asia can cause health issues due to their toxin, paederin.
When crushed on the skin, this toxin can cause dermatitis linearis, resulting in blisters and burns. However, these cases are rare.
| Rove Beetle Species | Distribution | Health Risks |
|---|---|---|
| Paederus | Asia | Paederin, dermatitis linearis |
Note: False warnings on social media may exaggerate the danger of rove beetles, comparing them to scorpions or wasps.
In reality, most species pose little to no threat to humans.
Differentiating Related Insects
June Bugs and Japanese Beetles
- June Bugs primarily feed on decaying matter and pose minimal threat to humans.
- Japanese Beetles can cause damage to plants and may be considered pests.
Both of these beetles differ from rove beetles, which are general predators, feeding on small insects and thus are beneficial to the environment.
Lady Beetles and Scarab Beetles
- Lady Beetles are beneficial insects that prey on aphids and scale insects.
- Scarab Beetles vary in habits, with some species being pests, while others help in decomposition.
Neither of these groups share the same appearance as rove beetles and are easily distinguished.
Earwigs and Stenus Beetles
Earwigs and Stenus Beetles might be confused with rove beetles due to some similarities in appearance. However, important differences are:
| Feature | Earwigs | Stenus Beetles | Rove Beetles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diet | Scavengers | Predators | Predators |
| Habitat | Soil or plant life | Soil or water edges | Soil or plant life |
| Appearance features | Large ‘pincers’ | Elongated bodies | Short wing covers |
By understanding the differences among these insects, one can appreciate the beneficial roles that rove beetles play in our ecosystem.
Conclusion
Rove beetles are a large and diverse group of insects that belong to the family Staphylinidae, which includes over 60,000 species worldwide.
They are not dangerous to humans or animals, but some species may have defensive secretions that can cause skin irritation, blistering, or inflammation.
Rove beetles can be identified by their elongated and slender bodies, short wing covers, and flexible abdomens.
They are mostly active at night, and can be found in various habitats, such as soil, leaf litter, dung, carrion, and fungi.
They are beneficial insects, as they feed on other pests, such as aphids, mites, maggots, and slugs.
Images of Paederus Rove Beetles and Contact Dermatitis from Facebook
36 Comments. Leave new
Hi, I live in Panamá, and from what you were saying, your insect is probably what we call a chinche, not chinea, and it is usualy identified by the form of its body and the horrible stinking smell that comes from its “urine”, a defensory behavoir in which the insect sprays a liquid as soon as it senses any danger to repel any posible predator. It is quite common in Panamá, and loves vines that are close to human homes. Some are quite beautiful, but they are so trigger-happy that they are considered a pest here. I am posting a link to a yahoo! image search in which you can see many different types, most of them I have seen in Panamá. But I would like to warn you about one that is called “chinche besucona” which bites humans, and may infect them with a parasite that causes Chagas, so please be very carefull around them…..
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A0oG7nc4DjRN5XQB7ShXNyoA?ei=UTF-8&p=chinche&fr2=tab-web&fr=yfp-t-701
Thanks for your comment. The Chinche is one of the Blood Sucking Conenose Bugs in the genus Triatoma, and they are capable of spreading Chagas Disease.
Hi! I’m filming a documentary in Cameroon about beetles in February or March, and I’m looking for more information on the Creechie.
Do you think it would be possible for me to find Creechies in Nguti, Cameroon during Feb?March?
Please let me know if you can! It would be SOO helpful and amazing!
Thanks!
Steph
Dear skaliner,
We do not know for certain if there is a season for Creechies in Camaroon. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to provide information.
I lived in Bujubura, Burundi, for 4 year, and I am very familiar with that insect. This morning, my son came to me and said: “there is a mosquito in the bathroom”, to my surprise, it was the “Acid Bug” (as they called it in Bujumbura). At first I thought, “No it cannot be”, but now I am very uncomfortable, after I found this article in the web.
What is your current location? You did not indicate that in your comment. We do have members of this genus in North America, as the data map on BugGuide indicates.
I noticed that theres at least 100 of them outaide my house.esp where there is a light source coupled with some water or dampness.ive tried killing thwm using shieldtox outdoora.seem to work but its not possible to eradicate all.im really worried as i have a 9 month old child in the house.a few sightings of the bug indoors but so far eliminited. Shutting off lights do help.just wondering if theres any proper cure to eradicate to population alltogether.. btw my location is penang. Malaysia.tq
We do not provide extermination advice.
WHEN I WAS WORKING IN NIGERIA AND OFFSHORE A FEW YEARS AGO, THIS SAME CRITTER WAS KNOWN AS THE “PAPA BUG”. WAS A NASTY BURN LIKE AREA WHEN IF YOU SWATTED OR MASHED ON YOUR SKIN.
Papa Bug and Creechie are both great names for these Rove Beetles.
Good day to all, searching the web for any information on ( Crichi) I found this site and am glad it leads at least for now to a clue. I live in Venice , Italy. Talking to my family back in Bamenda, north west region of Cameroon I was informed someone in the family got a bite and a swollen face due to contact with CREECHI. I’d liked but don’t know how to add the picture here to share the picture of what it looks like to be beaten by these bugs. Hoping some doctor or physician out there might direct me to relevant cure as the person involved is in serious pain and feels very
Sick and uncomfortable.
You may submit images using the Ask What’s That Bug? link on our site.
please let me know treatment for thz bug bite skin area … it burn like fire n spread as well .. because it bite on my leg i couldn’t walk i do not know about this first but when i come to know its too late 4 days i already suffered and even i am suffering know …please if any body know a good treatment for that..
thanks
kuldeep
ernakulam, kerala, india
Seek medical treatment. We do not provide any medical advice.
please let me know treatment for thz bug bite skin area … it burn like fire n spread as well .. because it bite on my leg i couldn’t walk i do not know about this first but when i come to know its too late 4 days i already suffered and even i am suffering know …please if any body know a good treatment for that..
thanks
kuldeep
ernakulam, kerala, india
what beatle? Black, grows to 65mm long x 25mm wide has two white stripes
on the sides at edge of top body. Very hard body and shoots an acid stream / like hose + – 1 meter. very accurate . Stings like hell.
Found in southern Africa / this one found by the kafue river Kitwe Zambia
Thanks for your help if you can
Alastair
That is most definitey NOT the Creechie Bug which is the subject of this posting. Are you certain it is a beetle? An image is preferable to a description.
what beatle? Black, grows to 65mm long x 25mm wide has two white stripes
on the sides at edge of top body. Very hard body and shoots an acid stream / like hose + – 1 meter. very accurate . Stings like hell.
Found in southern Africa / this one found by the kafue river Kitwe Zambia
Thanks for your help if you can
Alastair
Pls identify. approx 50mm plus long x 15mm plus wide, two black ridges on the back with two white stripes running down the sides on the top of ridges,edge and shoots an acid squirt / spray plus one meter if hasseled.
Burns the skin. This beatle can move very fast and is hard to squash or kill. advise kids not to get close.
found near Kafue River Copperbelt Zambia
Pls identify. approx 50mm plus long x 15mm plus wide, two black ridges on the back with two white stripes running down the sides on the top of ridges,edge and shoots an acid squirt / spray plus one meter if hasseled.
Burns the skin. This beatle can move very fast and is hard to squash or kill. advise kids not to get close.
found near Kafue River Copperbelt Zambia
If WTB does not endorse insect extermination why are allowing advertising for pest exterminators on your site?
Because we have no control over the Google ads on our site. Google is a much more powerful presence on the internet than our lowly website that offers free information to the web browsing public without requiring any registration.
Very unfortunate that Google has this power. Positioning ads antipathetic to your mission is a bit shitty to say the least!
Because we cannot control the ads, we have the disclaimer posted directly above the ads. That is our way of enforcing our own mission to educate the public regarding the importance of lower beasts.
I live in Bangkok in a condo in the centre of town, and myself a work colleague and another friend have been victims to this beetle. Its December 16, and it happend in the last month; I’m not sure if the time of year has any relevance.
I have seen them several times in my apartment and I ended up in hospital and was treated with strong steroid cream and antihistamine to nurse the wounds which are similar to water blisters or burns. In my situation it was a bit like severe sunburn and it was very painful. The rash still hasn’t cleared up completely and its been several weeks. If I see them I immediately take a shower.
Oh my goodNess I am in Koh Phangan Thailand and I also was stung? Or rubbed on or whatever and it’s crazy. It really feels like a lighter was held to my temple and it’s clearly burned. This occurred a few days ago and is not getting any better does anyone know what besides steroid cram I can use?
I also live on Koh Phangan and had an opportunity to meet this bugs.. I just did my best not to touch the burns and in a week it disappeared by itself. Some people said the teatree oil can be a good remedy to apply to the burn. I hadn’t tried it myself..
I’m also in koh phangan and have it after brushing up against a leaf. Do ppl feel sick from this also (like just generally feeling low energy and mild cold symptoms) or is it just me?
yes, i cant identify it right now because i didnt know it would be so harmful this way. It has black spots on its back or the feather with yellow legs and yellow chest and black head, the stomach is totally empty and it is like a transparent plastic, the stomach seems like it is filled up with air while it is completely empty.
i was sleeping when it entered under my leg and released the acidic gas which burned my skin immediately under seconds. it pained me for over 24 hours, the wound was exactly like fire wound or fire-burn.
which made me to rush into the bathroom to wash it with soap & sponge.
To kill this insect is not much easy due to its stomach is empty.
yes, i cant identify it right now because i didnt know it would be so harmful this way. It has black spots on its back or the feather with yellow legs and yellow chest and black head, the stomach is totally empty and it is like a transparent plastic, the stomach seems like it is filled up with air while it is completely empty.
i was sleeping when it entered under my leg and released the acidic gas which burned my skin immediately under seconds. it pained me for over 24 hours, the wound was exactly like fire wound or fire-burn.
which made me to rush into the bathroom to wash it with soap & sponge.
To kill this insect is not much easy due to its stomach is empty.
yes, i cant identify it right now because i didnt know it would be so harmful this way. It has black spots on its back or the feather with yellow legs and yellow chest and black head, the stomach is totally empty, the stomach is like a transparent plastic, the stomach seems like it is filled up with air while it is completely empty.
i was sleeping when it entered under my leg and released the acidic gas which burned my skin immediately under seconds. it pained me for over 24 hours, the wound was exactly like fire wound or fire-burn.
i rushed into the bathroom to wash it with soap & sponge.
To kill this insect is not much easy due to its stomach is empty.
yes, i cant identify it right now because i didnt know it would be so harmful this way. It has black spots on its back or the feather with yellow legs and yellow chest and black head, the stomach is totally empty, the stomach is like a transparent plastic, the stomach seems like it is filled up with air while it is completely empty.
i was sleeping when it entered under my leg and released the acidic gas which burned my skin immediately under seconds. it pained me for over 24 hours, the wound was exactly like fire wound or fire-burn.
i rushed into the bathroom to wash it with soap & sponge.
To kill this insect is not much easy due to its stomach is empty.
I live in an apartment in Bangkok and I am saw some of these bugs about. Not knowing how dangerous they are I squashed some with my finger. 36 hours later the right side of my face was itching and blotches appeared on my face, neck, inner thighs and scrotum! my eye swelled up too. Immediately went to the hospital and was seen by a skin specialist. He knew straightaway what the cause was and gave me a course of steroid cream (Fucicort) and some oral antihistamine pills.He informed me that perhaps I would see a few more blotches appear on my body and he was right. 24 hours later some of the blotches have turned dark brown and the skin is flaky. Hopefully in a week or so I’ll be back to normal.
I have been on the Thai island of Koh Samet for almost a month, and a week ago this beetle “got me” while asleep. I woke up with a big red rash from my armpit outward & 24 hrs later the dark brown flakey center appeared, painful; and he next day the rash began to spread. That’s when I went to the island clinic. The doc immediately knew the source. I was given antibiotics and special liquid soap & creme for this bug bite. Also urged to avoid the pool and the ocean for a while. He said it could take 3-4 weeks to heal, but 8 days later it was gone — I followed his instructions to a T. I’ve been coming to Thailand since my back-packing days in 1982, and this is my FIRST experience with such a toxic little bug! Great to know about the light attraction and window screens being ineffective, as I had no idea, searching my bed uselessly each night….so thx! Andrea
I live on the 30th floor of a condo building in Bangkok. In September 2016 I got the typical skin condition caused by this beetle. A barely noticeable red rash got worse over a few days until it looked like a large septic sore. The doctor gave me steroid and antibiotic cream and the sore got better over a week or so. Strangely there was no pain. The doctor said the insect that caused it live in waste land or gardens and can fly up to the 30th floor.
Then yesterday (April 2018) I left the balcony doors open for an hour or so in the late afternoon because it was quite cool outside. In the evening I saw this bug crawling on my dining table. I killed it without touching it and flushed it down the toilet. It was quite hard to kill. My Juristic Office has contacted pest control. There is a garden outside the front of my building but I’m not sure whether pest control will be able to do anything.
Hi Neil, was this building at Phrom Phong station?