Devil's Coach Horse beetle and how to get rid of them - Ask Extension
I have Devil's Coach Horse beetles in my backyard. I am not sure how they arrived in my yard. I am trying to find out how to get rid of them, once...
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Devil's Coach Horse beetle and how to get rid of them #156128
Asked October 07, 2013, 8:38 PM EDT
I have Devil's Coach Horse beetles in my backyard. I am not sure how they arrived in my yard. I am trying to find out how to get rid of them, once and for all. I have two children and a dog. I wanto get rid of the beetles, so my kids or dog won't get bitten. If you could shed some light on our situation, I would greatly appreciate it.
Genesee County Michigan
Expert Response
The Devil’s Coach Horse beetle is an European beetle
related to our Rove Beetle.
It is a
long-bodied beetle. At about 25–28 millimetres (1.0–1.1 in) it is one of
the larger British beetles. Although it has no sting, it can give a painful
bite with its strong pincer-like jaws. It also emits a foul smelling odor. They can be found throughout the
world. They will often be on agricultural land, or even in backyards.
They feed on other insects, such as maggots, so they will usually be found near soil or decaying matter. Under rocks, or in compost, are other possible locations. Feeding on other insects means they will also be found in great numbers around carrion. From the information I have come across, the Devil’s Coach Horse beetle are found rarely in the U.S.
If it is instead our more common Rove Beetle, there is actually no need to take any action to get rid of them. They are harmless to you, and can simply be left alone. Also, unlike insects such as termites, there is no chance that they can cause damage to your property. Their presence normally indicates that there is something rotting nearby, such as compost or a dead animal. Removing the rotting items will remove the rove beetle's food source, maggots, and other insects, and this will force them to move on to somewhere else. There is no need to use insecticides.
There are over 58,000 species of rove beetle, of which 2,900 live in North America. They are fascinating insects, and their diet of fly maggots and other insects can help to control the population of other, more bothersome, creatures. If you find any of them in your home or garden, there is no cause for alarm. I have read that the Rove Beetle does not bite or sting, and even though they may look intimidating when they lift up their tails, they really aren't going to be able to cause you any real harm. But the larger Devil’s Coach Horse beetle has been known to bite. Usually, the only concern with finding rove beetles is it that it suggests there is something rotting nearby, so it is probably worth checking your garden to make sure there are no dead animals.
I hope this was helpful. Feel free to contact us again if you have further questions.
They feed on other insects, such as maggots, so they will usually be found near soil or decaying matter. Under rocks, or in compost, are other possible locations. Feeding on other insects means they will also be found in great numbers around carrion. From the information I have come across, the Devil’s Coach Horse beetle are found rarely in the U.S.
If it is instead our more common Rove Beetle, there is actually no need to take any action to get rid of them. They are harmless to you, and can simply be left alone. Also, unlike insects such as termites, there is no chance that they can cause damage to your property. Their presence normally indicates that there is something rotting nearby, such as compost or a dead animal. Removing the rotting items will remove the rove beetle's food source, maggots, and other insects, and this will force them to move on to somewhere else. There is no need to use insecticides.
There are over 58,000 species of rove beetle, of which 2,900 live in North America. They are fascinating insects, and their diet of fly maggots and other insects can help to control the population of other, more bothersome, creatures. If you find any of them in your home or garden, there is no cause for alarm. I have read that the Rove Beetle does not bite or sting, and even though they may look intimidating when they lift up their tails, they really aren't going to be able to cause you any real harm. But the larger Devil’s Coach Horse beetle has been known to bite. Usually, the only concern with finding rove beetles is it that it suggests there is something rotting nearby, so it is probably worth checking your garden to make sure there are no dead animals.
I hope this was helpful. Feel free to contact us again if you have further questions.
