Beetle ID, description only

[mrbadexample]

Hello all,

Found an interesting beetle yesterday in my garden.

Narrow, elongated body, flew into me and dropped to the floor. What impressed me was the escape / defense mechanism. When I picked it up, it first played dead, and then "clicked" something, which catapulted it off my hand and onto the veg patch. I picked it up, and it repeated its trick, whereupon I lost it, hence no photo.

I'm sure someone can tell me what it was from the defense mechanism. It seemed to be rapidly altering the angle between the thorax and abdomen, causing it to pop into the air, but I couldn't be quite sure exactly what was moving.

Thanks,
MBE

[Klaas Reißmann]

Hi,

impossible to go to the species, but this was a click beetle for sure. The fall into something called thanatose (playing dead) and when the danger is over or the danger still keeps on, they click up, to get back on their feet and run away.

Regards
Klaas

[mrbadexample]

Thanks Klaas. A bit of Googling would suggest Athous haemorrhoidalis or similar.

I can't say I'm especially pleased, as the larvae are probably eating my potatoes.

[Klaas Reißmann]

Hi,

Athous is not known as pest. The ones known as pest are some species of the genus Agriotes. Maybe yours is Agriotes obscurus (very common and very well known as pest), but some others can be as well.

Regards
Klaas

[mrbadexample]

Originally Posted by Klaas Reißmann

Hi,

Athous is not known as pest.

That's a relief, as I'm sure it was Athous.
Thanks again.
MBE

[Klaas Reißmann]

Hi,

it is possible that it is Athous haemorrhoidalis. This is a very common species occuring nearly everywhere. But finding the beetle does not mean, that this beetle is the one eating your potatoes (the larva). So maybe your identification is right, but to prove this I would need a photo of the beetle.

Regards
Klaas