Rove Beetle - They are Back!!!

28th August 2011
The Rove Beetle is less than 1 cm long. The body is dark orange and the tip of the abdomen, the upper abdomen and the head are black. The upper middle iridescent greenish region of the abdomen are the hard wings (elytra). A pair of transparent wings are neatly folded and hidden under the hard wings. During daytime, the beetle will be seen crawling around swiftly with hidden wings resembling ants. When disturbed it raises the abdomen in a threatening gesture like a scorpion and can fly away. It can also run on water swiftly!

Ecology
Rove beetles are known from every type of habitat that beetles occur in, and their diets include just about everything except the living tissues of higher plants. Most rove beetles are predators of insects and other kinds of invertebrates, living in forest leaf litter and similar kinds of decaying plant matter. They are also commonly found under stones, and around freshwater margins.
Although rove beetles' appetites for other insects would seem to make them obvious candidates for biological control of pests, and empirically they are believed to be important controls in the wild, experiments with using them have not been notably successful. Greater success is seen with those species (genus Aleochara) that are parasitoids.

Rove beetles of the genus Stenus are very interesting insects. They are specialist predators of small invertebrates such as collembola. Their labium can shoot out from the head using blood pressure. The thin rod of the labium ends in a pad of bristly hairs and hooks and between these hairs are small pores that exude an adhesive glue-like substance, which sticks to prey.

How they effect human?
The haemolymph in the beetle’s entire body (except the wings) contains the most poisonous animal contact toxin in the world called ‘pederin’ (C24 H43 O9 N) named in 1953. It is 12 times more poisonous than cobra venom ! Dried and stored rove beetle for 8 years still retained it’s toxicity ! Contact collision with the beetle while travelling or sleeping, crushing it on the body or smearing with soiled fingers can cause conjunctivitis and severe dermatitis known as dermatitis linearis, paederus (rove beetle /staphylinidae) dermatitis, whiplash dermatitis etc.


The beetle is very resistant. It won’t die even after being sprayed with insect repellant.
It produces a yellowish fluid upon being squeezed and can still move around after that! Do take note that the beetles were only active during the night.

They get attracted by bright lights. The beetle doesn’t bite but its fluid is poisonous and acidic. When the beetle lands on your body, do not smack or squeeze it. Just blow it away.

The fluid, known as pederin, causes severe inflammation or dermatitis on the skin. One should seek medical assistance if the condition is serious with pus and swelling.
Those who happened to have skin contact with the beetle should wash the area with salt water immediately.

Public should switch off bright lights and close windows and doors at night whenever possible, especially in the bedrooms to avoid attracting the beetle.

Please bare in mind that the insect has been seen 'loitering' around our building and therefore, you as owners need to take some precaution measures from becoming the next victim.