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About Ed Saugstad
Expertise
Will accept most questions in general entomology, including those related to medical entomology, taxonomy, ecology, arthropod surveillance, and pest management.
If you are requesting a 'mystery bug' identification, PLEASE either attach an image to your question, or post an image on a web page (such as Flickr) so that I can look at it, as verbal descriptions frequently are insufficient for a definitive identification.
Experience
21 years in the U.S. Army as a medical entomologist; duties varied from surveillance of pest populations (including mosquitoes, cockroaches, ticks, and stored products pests) to conducting research on mosquito-virus ecological relationships and mosquito faunal studies. Ten years as a civilian analyst for the Department of Defense, primarily on distribution of vector-borne diseases worldwide. Limited experience on surveillance of agricultural insects in North Dakota and Indiana.
Organizations
Entomological Society of America, West Virginia Entomological Society, Society for Vector Ecology, National Speleological Society, West Virginia Association for Cave Studies.
Publications
American Journal of Public Health, Contributions of the American Entomological Institute, Japanese Journal of Sanitary Zoology, Journal of Economic Entomology, Mosquito News, and Mosquito Systematics.
Education/Credentials
B.S. in entomology from North Dakota State University in 1963, M.S. in entomology from Purdue University in 1967.
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You are here: Experts > Science > Insects/Spiders > Entomology (Study of Bugs) > looks like a devil's coach horse beetle
Expert: Ed Saugstad - 11/2/2009
Question
Curious what this bug is. Looks like a devil's coach horse beetle, but it's not all black as most photos show.
Answer
Dear Margaret - This is a rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), the same family as to which the devil's coach horse beetle belongs. This is a very large family with thousands of species, only a few of which closely resemble the devil's coach horse beetle. See http://tinyurl.com/kvzxt3 and http://tinyurl.com/ydrs4sv to get some idea as to the diversity of this family. The vast majority of these beetles are general predators on othre small arthropods, a few live as 'guests' (inquilines) in ant colonies.
Hope this helps,
Saugy
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