Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Ontholestes cingulatus - Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle

Beetle larva? - Ontholestes cingulatus Beetle larva? - Ontholestes cingulatus Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle - Ontholestes cingulatus Rove Bettle with yellow tipped abdomen - Ontholestes cingulatus Large Rove Beetle - Ontholestes cingulatus Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle (Ontholestes cingulatus)? - Ontholestes cingulatus Ontholestes cingulatus Hymenoptera at Minesing Swamp - Ontholestes cingulatus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Staphyliniformia)
Superfamily Staphylinoidea
Family Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles)
Subfamily Staphylininae (Large Rove Beetles)
Tribe Staphylinini
Subtribe Staphylinina
Genus Ontholestes
Species cingulatus (Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle)
Other Common Names
"Pie Killer" since they hunt flies and other insects on top of fresh cow pies. (John Acorn)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ontholestes cingulatus (Gravenhorst)
Orig. Comb: Staphylinus cingulatus Gravenhorst, 1802
Size
13-20 mm
Identification
Clumps of hair forms dark spots on much of body. Yellow hair forms "belt" under thorax, covers parts of last abdominal segments. Head wider than pronotum. Often turns yellow tip of abdomen upward when walking.
Range
across Canada and n. US - Map (1)(2)
Habitat
On Carrion, dung and decaying organic material (R. Bercha)
Season
May-Nov
Food
Flies and fly larva associated with carrion and dung. (R. Bercha)
Life Cycle
Eggs are laid near carrion or fungi; pupate in chambers in soil nearby
Remarks
Might be confused with Platydracus maculosus, but has much larger eyes, and the golden colour on abdomen is made up by dense reflective fur, standing on dark integument.
Internet References
Species Page - R. Bercha