Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle

Spotted this stowaway on my boat by the Thames — a Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle!  Not the crew I expected, but definitely one with attitude. Raises its tail like a scorpion and smells worse than wet socks when annoyed! #RiverThames #BugLife #RoveBeetle #SailingSurprises

The insect in the photo is a Rove Beetle, likely from the Staphylinidae family. One commonly seen species along rivers and wetlands in the UK is Ocypus olens, also known as the Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle.

Key Features:

• Long, slender black body

• Very short elytra (wing cases) exposing most of the abdomen

• Prominent pincers or mandibles at the front

• When threatened, it raises its abdomen like a scorpion and may emit a foul smell

Habitat:

• Common across the UK, especially in damp environments like woodlands, meadows, compost heaps, and riverbanks.

• They are predators, feeding on other invertebrates.

Caution:

While they don't bite humans often, they can pinch if handled and may secrete a smelly fluid as a defence.