# Devil's Coach Horse Beetle (*Ocypus olens*)

The Devil's Coach Horse Beetle is a shiny black bug that looks a bit scary but is actually harmless! It has a long body and can run really fast when it feels threatened.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens and forests

![Devil's Coach Horse Beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Staphylinus.olens.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Sarefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Staphylinus.olens.jpg)

## Appearance

The Devil's Coach Horse Beetle is a large, slender beetle, typically uniformly matte black with short wing cases. Its most distinctive features are its long, segmented abdomen which it can raise threateningly, and its large, pincer-like mandibles.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Coleoptera
- **Family:** Staphylinidae
- **Genus:** Ocypus

## Interesting facts

- It's mostly active at night, hunting in the dark for food.
- Its nickname comes from old legends linking it to evil creatures.
- This bold beetle is a fast runner, scurrying quickly over the ground.
- When threatened, it might play dead to trick hungry animals.

## Special abilities

- **Scorpion Stance:** Devil's Coach Horse Beetle can arch its abdomen high like a scorpion because of flexible segments that helps them look fearsome.
- **Stinky Surprise:** Devil's Coach Horse Beetle can spray a foul-smelling liquid from its abdomen that helps them deter predators.
- **Mighty Mandibles:** Devil's Coach Horse Beetle has powerful jaws that helps them quickly capture and consume prey.

## Measurements & details

- **Size:** 20-32 mm
- **Lifespan:** 365-730 days
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

This fierce beetle munches on other bugs and small creatures for dinner!

- **Primary Foods:** slugs, snails, earthworms, other insects
- **Foraging Method:** Pursuit

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — eats large garden slugs
- **Eats:** Common Earthworm (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — preys on earthworms
- **Eaten by:** [Common Blackbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-blackbird) (*Turdus merula*) — birds might hunt them
- **Eaten by:** [European Hedgehog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-hedgehog) (*Erinaceus europaeus*) — small mammals prey on them

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
- [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

These beetles are not dangerous, but it's best to watch them from a distance.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Devil's Coach Horse Beetle?

Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is Devil's Coach Horse Beetle?

20-32 mm

### How long does Devil's Coach Horse Beetle live?

365-730 days

### What does Devil's Coach Horse Beetle eat?

This fierce beetle munches on other bugs and small creatures for dinner!

### Where is Devil's Coach Horse Beetle usually found?

Gardens and forests

### How does Devil's Coach Horse Beetle hunt?

Pursuit

### How many legs does Devil's Coach Horse Beetle have?

6

## Where to spot

- [Shoreline Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shoreline-park) — California, US · Park

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Devil's Coach Horse Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/devils-coach-horse-beetle)