Slender Paederus Rove Beetle

Paederus fuscipes is a rove beetle in Staphylinidae. Its flexible abdomen extends well beyond the short wing covers. [5][2]

The head and abdominal tip are black, contrasting with the reddish-orange pronotum and exposed basal abdominal segments. The short wing covers are dark metallic blue. Antennae and legs have reddish bases and darker distal portions. [2]

The species occurs across Europe and Asia. Japanese observations place adults on soil and vegetation in damp sites, including marshes and rice fields. [4][1]

In the Tokyo rearing study, larvae passed through two instars and pupated in chambers beneath the soil surface. Adults were the overwintering stage and sometimes sheltered in clusters. [1]

The Tokyo study recorded a chiefly carnivorous diet of insects, mites and soil nematodes, supplemented by decaying plant material. [1]

In Malaysian rice fields, harvesting and ploughing were associated with dispersal flights as the beetles’ habitat was disturbed. [3]

The body fluid contains pederin, a defensive compound that can cause skin irritation when an injured beetle’s haemolymph contacts skin. The fluid is released by damage to the body rather than a sting. [4]

In a Japanese laboratory experiment, pond frogs previously exposed to Sirthenea flavipes nymphs consumed fewer Paederus fuscipes adults than unexposed frogs. The species-specific comparison detected this effect, while the overall test of species and encounter-history interaction was not significant. [4]

The accepted species authority is Curtis, 1826. [5]

Keep the enclosure closed and display it in indirect light, away from heat and damp conditions. Handle the frame by its edges and clean only its exterior according to the maker’s instructions.