Devil's Coach Horse vs Crimson Saltflat Tiger Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Devil's Coach Horse Crimson Saltflat Tiger Beetle
Scientific Name Ocypus olens Cicindela theatina
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Staphylinidae Cicindelidae
Size 22-32 mm 11-13 mm
Habitat Underground Beaches & Coastal
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Europe, introduced to North America Colorado, United States
Conservation Least Concern Endangered

Devil's Coach Horse

A large, matt-black rove beetle that raises its tail like a scorpion when threatened. It has powerful jaws and emits a foul smell.

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Did You Know?

In medieval Ireland it was believed to have the power to curse a person it pointed its tail at.

Crimson Saltflat Tiger Beetle

A rare tiger beetle endemic to the salt flats of southern Colorado. It has a distinctive dark reddish-brown coloration with faint white markings.

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Did You Know?

It was only described as a distinct species in 2002 and is known from just a handful of sites.