A large black predatory rove beetle which raises its hind end and opens its jaws in a threatening manner when disturbed.
〈英〉排臭隐翅虫
Staphylinus olens, family Staphylinidae
Example sentencesExamples
With the help of specially designed monoclonal antibodies, they collected devil's coach-horse beetles and analysed their guts.
Devil's books ‘playing cards’ is from 1729, but the cited quote says they've been called that ‘time out of mind’ (the four of clubs is the devil's bedposts); devil's coach-horse is from 1840, the large rove-beetle, which is defiant when disturbed.
The devil's coach-horse beetle is a very common and widespread European beetle, belonging to the large family of the Rove beetles (Staphylinidae).
The devil's coach-horse is a carnivorous insect, feeding on other insects and small creatures.
‘It's a devil's coach-horse beetle,’ Hedgehog said, ‘they say that when it comes the Devil will be sure to follow.’