Devil's coach horse beetle
Devil's coach-horse beetle | |
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An adult Ocypus olens | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Staphylinidae |
Genus: | Ocypus |
Species: | O. olens
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Binomial name | |
Ocypus olens (O. F. Müller, 1764)
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Synonyms[1] | |
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The devil's coach-horse beetle (Ocypus olens) is a species of beetle belonging to the large family of the rove beetles (Staphylinidae).[2] It was originally included in the genus Staphylinus in 1764,[3] and some authors and biologists still use this classification.
Etymology
The Latin species name olens, meaning "smelling", refers to the two white stinking glands on the abdomen.[4] This beetle has been associated with the Devil since the Middle Ages,[1] hence its common name, which has been used at least since 1840.[5] Other names include devil's footman, devil's coachman, and devil's steed. It is sometimes also known as the cock-tail beetle[6] for its habit of raising its abdomen.
One dictionary suggested that the name developed in parallelism with
Subspecies
Subspecies within this species include:[1]
- O. o. azoricus (Méquignon, 1942)
- O. o. olens (O. Müller, 1764)
Distribution and habitat
These very common and widespread beetles are present in most of Europe and in North Africa. They have also been introduced to parts of the United States and Canada, specifically Oregon, Washington, California, and parts of British Columbia.[3] They prefer areas with damp conditions and can be found from April to October in meadows, heath and moorland, woodlands, hedgerows, and parks and gardens. During the day, they commonly stay under logs, stones, or leaf litter.[4][12]
Description
It is a long-bodied, black beetle. At about 20–32 mm (13⁄16–1+1⁄4 in),
Biology and diet
It is a predator, hunting mainly by night, feeding on a range of
Reproduction
O. olens mates in autumn. Females lay their eggs from 2–3 weeks after first mating.[2] They are large (4 mm or 3⁄16 in) and white with a darker band and laid singly in damp conditions under moss, stones, cow manure, or leaf litter.[4] After around 30 days, the eggs split and the larvae emerge, white with a straw-coloured head.[2][4][14] The larva lives largely underground, and feeds on similar prey to the adult and has the same well-developed mandibles.[4] It adopts the same display with open jaws and raised tail when threatened.[2]
The larva goes through three stages of growth (instars), the final stage ranging from 20 to 26 mm in length.[2] Around 150 days old,[4] the larva pupates for about 35 days[2] and emerges as an adult with its final colouring, fully formed except for the wings, which cannot be folded neatly beneath the elytra for several hours. Adults can survive a second winter, some by hibernating in burrows and not emerging until March, while others remain active.[4]
Gallery
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Larva
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Threat display
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An adult showing the glands that emit a terrible smell.
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An adult attacking an earthworm
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Threat display
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Detail, lateral view
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Detail, front view
References
- ^ a b Biolib
- ^ S2CID 83577339.
- ^ a b Staphylinus olens in Fauna Europaea
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Buglife
- ^ Online Etymology Dictionary
- ^ Wooton. A., (2000) Spotter's Guide to Bugs and Insects, 3rd ed, London: Usborne Publishing Limited, page 25
- ^ A Dictionary of English Etymology. Trübner & Company, 1862
- ^ Ainmeacha Plandaí agus Ainmhithe (1978) Oifig an tSoláthair
- ^ Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla: an Irish-English dictionary, being a thesaurus of the words, phrases and idioms of the modern Irish language; compiled and edited by Patrick S. Dinneen. New edition, revised and greatly enlarged. xxx, 1344 p. Dublin: published for the Irish Texts Society by the Educational Company of Ireland, 1927.
- ^ Frank Cowan, Curious Facts in the History of Insects; “Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction” vol.xix p180.
- ISBN 978-1-4102-0915-3.
- ^ a b "Commanster". Archived from the original on 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2017-01-08.
- ^ Bug Guide
- ^ R. E. Orth, Ian Moore, T. W. Fisher & E. F. Legner. Biological Notes on Ocypus olens, a Predator of Brown Garden Snail, with Descriptios of the Larva and Pupa (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). — Division of Biological Control, Citrus Research and Agricultural Experiment Station, University of California, Riverside, 1975. — pp. 292—298.