A member of the rove beetle family, the devil’s coach-horse looks more like a larva than an adult beetle. Along with others of its family, the Elytra are very short, less than half the length of the beetle and most of the abdomen is exposed. The adult beetle is about 15 mm long, mainly black, but the head is bright scarlet, with a black spot between and above the eyes. Despite appearances, this beetle can fly, the hind wings being neatly folded under the Elytra.
This beetle is usually found around decaying bodies of animals. It mainly feeds on the maggots which infest the bodies on which it is found. I have found them in Morwell National Park in Victoria, Australia on the bodies of a dead koala and a dead wombat.
kennedyh
This beetle is usually found around decaying bodies of animals. It mainly feeds on the maggots which infest the bodies on which it is found. I have found them in Morwell National Park in Victoria, Australia on the bodies of a dead koala and a dead wombat.