Found an insect

[callansdad]

i found a long black insect in my garden which bends its back like a scorpion trying to sting you. What is it?

[New Forester]

Assuming you don't live somewhere with scorpions... Sounds like a devil's coachman. It's a beetle, or more precisely one of the largest species in a family of beetles (Staphylinids or rove beetles). If you look closely you'll see it has little shortie wing-cases in the middle, like an earwig does (which of course is unrelated). The wings are folded up tightly under these, and some species fly quite readily (some can't fly though). Most of the large species in the UK are black, but there are very many smaller ones, many of which are banded black and red. I think they are all predatory, so are a Good Thing in the garden. They are only pretending to sting, but don't try eating one.

[natalie_1982]

It's the Deil's coach horse and if you google that under images there are some pictures which you may find useful. I'd never heard of them before today I'm glad I haven't found any in my garden!

[natalie_1982]

Devil's not Deil'S

[Elfin]

Just an interesting aside to this - I once accidentally trod on a Devil's Coach Horse on my landing carpet. My cat then spent the next half an hour ecstatically rubbing his face in where it had been squashed, like they do with catnip. Weird eh! They don't bite or sting and they are supposed to be gardener's friends (ie they eat aphids and such like).

[pda]

probably a 'neckbender scorpion' - quite safe and friggin usless - they can't see where they're going.