Help with dung eater

[windflower]

A ripe fox poo in my local broadleaved wood had attracted a fine assortment of diners including sexton and red-breasted carrion beetles.

However, the commonest insect visitor is a strange creature that I can find no picture of anywhere. It is about 20 mm long, perhaps slightly longer, and looks rather like a cross between a dragonfly larva and a rove beetle.

It's head (with bulbous eyes), thorax and wing cases, and the first part of its clearly segmented abdomen are a uniform finely mottled/speckled brown, which gives it excellent camouflage against the dung.

The final half cm of its abdomen is black and ends in small cerci. This it frequently moves from side to side and sometimes raises. The sides of its abdomen have a series of small yellowish dots along them.

It does fly but prefers to scoot around rapidly on the ground or climb vegetation. It is aggressive to others of its kind and even has a go at the carrion beetles if they cross its path.

I would be most grateful if anyone could suggest what it might be.

[Dogghound]

Can you get a photo of it? the only thing that comes to mind is Cicindela but your description isnt quite right.

[JRsbugs]

Sounds like a Staphylinid beetle.

Look at Creophilus maxillosus

Janet

[Jason Green]

Afternoon WF,

A photo, as Dan requests, would be great - or a drawing. In the mean-time, try something like Stenus bimaculatus.

Take care,

Jason

[JRsbugs]

Ontholestes tessellatus fits the size and maybe the description.

BioLib - Gallery - Staphylininae

Coleoptera - photo gallery beetles - Fotogalerie Kfer

[windflower]

Thank for all those replies.

Ontholestes tessellatus looks very like it.

I'll try to get a picture but my camera isn't up to much.