Large rove beetles (family Staphylinidae) are shiny, fast-moving, predatory insects with short wing covers that expose much of their abdomen, often seen in damp, decaying organic matter, and known for raising their tails defensively like scorpions to squirt foul scents at threats. They are beneficial predators of crop pests, eating fly maggots and other small insects, but some larger species can deliver a painful bite if handled roughly.
Key Facts
Appearance: Elongated, slender, shiny black or brown bodies; short elytra (wing covers) leaving the abdomen exposed; some large ones mimic ants or have bright patterns.
Size: Can range from 2 mm to 20 mm (almost 1 inch) long.
Behavior: Nocturnal, fast runners, often found under logs, rocks, leaf litter, or near fungi and compost.
Defense: Curl up and raise their abdomen in a "scorpion-like" posture, sometimes releasing foul-smelling defensive chemicals.
Diet: Mostly predatory on other small insects (like maggots, mites, ant larvae) and soft-bodied arthropods, with some feeding on carrion or fungi.
Habitat: Found globally in moist environments like forests, fields, and even shores, though some live underground or in caves.
Importance: Highly beneficial in gardens as natural pest controllers; also important in decomposition and forensics (carrion studies).
Large Species Examples & Traits
Hairy Rove Beetle (Creophilus maxillosus): A large, black species with grey hairs, attracted to carrion, and important in forensic science.
Aleochara species: Parasitoids of fly maggots, used in biological control for root maggots.
