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Photo#194467
Unknown beetle bug roach thingy? - Alaus

Unknown beetle bug roach thingy? - Alaus
9 miles west of Cleveland, Montgomery County, Texas, USA
June 26, 2008
Size: 2+ inches long
Very large beetle maybe? Very fast, isn't shy, the rain was coming I think it was trying to find shelter. I scooped it into a cup. The cup had a bit of water in the bottom, a couple of teaspoons maybe. I took one image of the "bug" while it was in the cup, you can see it standing... when I laid it over I expected it to come running out as it had previously been very concerned about getting somewhere. It slid out of the cup and never moved. Legs tucked up under it. Husband said it was a beetle, I thought the water had killed it somehow, when husband tried picking it up it popped, like a jump, but never moved its legs or tried to leave. I tried very hard to get good closeups but my camera is not feeling very well I think. Eventually I enlisted the aid of a flashlight to provide extra light for my closeup. I tried to get a picture of the eyes for you. Is this some weird kind of roach? Under it's belly by the back legs are the same kind of segments that I've seen on roaches. I have no idea the gender. It's very long, at least a couple of inches. I left it on my table as it never seemed to want to come alive. Maybe it has by now? What do you think this thing might be? Is it dangerous? Should I kill it? Is it good for the environment and ecosystem? I've never seen one like it before. Thanks in advance for all your help!

Images of this individual: tag all
Unknown beetle bug roach thingy? - Alaus Unknown beetle bug roach thingy? - Alaus

Alaus, but may not be oculatus.
This may not be Alaus oculatus, but a related species. Moving to genus page for now.

Eyed Click Beetle
see guide for more details. That popping jump is what gives click beetles their name.

Harmless to you - definitely should be released unharmed. Actually I would rarely recommend killing a bug over releasing it, but for those who insist on dividing the world of bugs into good guys and bad guys, the predators (which this is) are usually considered the good ones. Of course it's predatory on other beetles which eat rotting wood, so they are also harmless to you. : )

 
thanks =)
It was set free in the bushes unharmed.

 
How to move
Click on the link above that says Tag All. All four images should appear in the upper left of your screen. Click on the link that Hannah put in her comment. That will take you to the Info page of this beetle. Click on the tab that says Images and you will see alink that says move tagged images. Click there and Presto! your images will have been moved to the guide!

 
Hi John and Jane! It's been
Hi John and Jane! It's been a few years since I've been here hasn't it???? Wow! I'm so happy the site is still here as you've helped me several times. I tagged the images as per your last post. Thank you for all the help! I posted a new ID Request as well!

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