Rove beetle

A beetle in the family Staphylinidae, distinguished by short wing covers that leave much of its flexible abdomen exposed.

Staphylinidae: A large beetle family characterized by short elytra and exposed abdominal segments. Rove beetles are members of this family.
Wing folding in beetles: The folding of beetle hindwings beneath the elytra when not in flight. Rove beetles must fold their wings under elytra that cover only the abdomen’s base.
Biological pest control: The management of pests using their natural enemies, including predators, parasitoids, and pathogens. Predatory rove beetles can suppress pests in crops and other managed habitats.
Paederus: A genus of rove beetles whose species contain the defensive toxin pederin. Its members illustrate the family’s potent chemical defenses and medical significance.
Elytron: One of the hardened forewings that covers and protects a beetle’s hindwings. Rove beetles’ unusually short elytra leave most of the abdomen uncovered.
Flight in insects: Powered movement through the air using an insect’s wings. Many rove beetles fly despite their abbreviated forewing covers.
Atheta coriaria: A predatory rove beetle used commercially to control fungus gnat larvae and other small soil pests. This species is a practical example of rove beetles used in greenhouse pest management.
Stenus: A genus of rove beetles known for rapid movement across water using surface-tension effects. These beetles show how the family includes specialized predators of aquatic margins.
Beetle: An insect in the order Coleoptera, whose forewings are hardened into protective covers. Rove beetles are a diverse family within this order.
Paederus dermatitis: A skin inflammation caused when pederin-containing Paederus beetles are crushed against the skin. Some rove beetles defend themselves with pederin, which can cause this condition.

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