Devil's Coach Horse (Ocypus olens)

OTHER NAMES: Devil's Coach Horse Beetle, Devil's Footman, Devil's Coachman, Devil's Steed
Latin Etymology: Ocypus (?) olens ("smelling")

Adult Devil's Coach Horse (Ocypus olens) at Kettering - August 2020

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 20-26mm  /  Wingspan: ?
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A distinctive large beetle found in Europe and North Africa, it has drastically shortened wing cases (elyta) allowing for a flexible thorax that is will rear up in an almost scorpion like manner when threatened. It is associated with decaying natural materials where is lives during the day, emerging to hunt. The rather wonderfully dramatic name has a fairly long story - it has been associated with the Devil since the middle ages.

Related Species:
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Staphylinidae
Genus: Ocypus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common and widespread resident (April-October)

 - Seen in Kettering (August 2020),

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto