Urban Nature Pictures 8/9; 50 More Urban Species #27: Hairy Rove Beetle

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Hairy rove beetle Creophilus maxillosus

This rove beetle was found roving around a fly trap. This kind of fly trap is a simple jar filled with water and a nasty smelling lure, with a lid that has small holes in it. Flies (mostly carrion flies, but some houseflies and others) fly into the trap, fall into the water and die there, contributing to the attractiveness of the aroma. The stink attracted this beetle as well, and well it should have since this species specializes on eating flies and maggots on filth and carrion.

Unlike other rove beetles I've observed, this individual unfolded its wings and flew around a bit. I was skeptical back when I first encountered the devil's coach horse that there were functional wings underneath the tiny wing covers on the beetle's back. Not having an abdomen covered with a hard elytra (like other more familiar beetles such as ladybird beetles do), rove beetles are free to waggle their hind ends alarmingly, in the manner of an earwig. Instead of pincers, the hairy rove beetle has a gland which produces a chemical defense. The active ingredient, dihydronepetalactone, is being studied as a possible repellent against mosquitoes and stable flies.