Beetle ID

[Jerry]

Just found this guy on my lunch break any ideas I'm thinking preditory beetle bit have no idea what kind having no luck finding it myself

 

[Xafron]

Scarites subterraneus

 

[Jerry]

That's awesome thanks

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

These guys like to burrow and eat basically any insect, including other beetles. They aren't very cannibalisitc but they often fight like miniature stag beetles.

 

[Jerry]

That's awesome I was just thinking about putting a communal enclosure together if I get a few

 

[Jerry]

Hey guys found another one of these beetles but he has a mite problem is there anything I can do

 

[Ratmosphere]

You can brush them off with a children's paint brush.

 

[Smokehound714]

Dont remove mites from carabids, alot of them are symbiotic

 

[Jerry]

So I shouldn't worry about adding him to my communal

 

[Xafron]

It sounds to me like mites are sometimes symbiotic with carrion beetles. That doesn't mean these mites are, and I don't know whether or not you have a carrion beetle.
https://www.nps.gov/band/learn/nature/symbiotic.htm

 

[Jerry]

Same kind of beetle as the one pictured above

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Symbiotic and commensal mites aren't exclusive to carrion beetles. That being said it's probably hard to tell whether or not these particular mites are harmless.

 

[RTTB]

He's got an impressive set of chompers on him.