rove beetle

Any of a number of beetles with characteristic very short elytra (wing cases) that conceal large, well developed wings that are intricately folded away. When required the wings can unfold very rapidly, for almost instantaneous flight. The family includes some 20,000 species.

Classification The rove beetle is in family Staphylinidae, in order Coleoptera, class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda.

Most of these beetles are small and inconspicuous, except the devil's coach horse, which is about 3 cm/1.2 in. Some species are predatory; others live in association with ant and termite colonies.