Head to head
Devil's Coach-horse vs Violet Ground Beetle
Devil's Coach-horse
VS Violet Ground Beetle
The devil's coach-horse and violet ground beetle are two large black beetles of European gardens and hedgerows that hide under stones by day and hunt slugs and worms by night.
| Devil's Coach-horse | Violet Ground Beetle | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ocypus olens | Carabus violaceus |
| Appearance | A long, slim black beetle | A glossy black body with a violet or purple sheen along the edges of its wing cases and thorax |
| Wing cases | Short wing cases that leave most of its flexible abdomen uncovered | Wing cases fused together, so it cannot fly and runs fast across the ground instead |
| Diet | Slugs, worms, and insects hunted at night, and carrion as well | Slugs, snails, worms, and soft-bodied insects hunted at night |
| Defence | Curls its abdomen up over its back like a scorpion, opens its jaws, and can release a strong-smelling fluid | Can release a foul-smelling fluid when it is handled |
| Activity | Hides under stones and logs by day and hunts after dark in gardens, woods, and hedgerows | A night hunter that often turns up under stones and logs |
| Habitat and range | Gardens, woodland, and hedgerows across Europe | Gardens, hedgerows, and woodland across much of Europe |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated globally, though widespread and common | Not Evaluated globally, though widespread and common |
Devil's Coach-horse vs Violet Ground Beetle: common questions
Does the devil's coach-horse sting?
No, it has no sting, and the scorpion pose is a bluff, though it can release a strong-smelling fluid and bite if handled.
Which one cannot fly?
The violet ground beetle, whose wing cases are fused together, so it runs fast across the ground instead.
What do both eat?
Both hunt slugs and worms at night, which makes them useful predators in gardens.