rove beetle
|
noun
any of numerous beetles of the family Staphylinidae, having a slender, elongated body and very short front wings, and capable of running swiftly.
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What Is The Difference Between A Bug And An Insect?We tend to use the word bug loosely for any very small creature with legs. However, a true bug is defined as belonging to the order Hemiptera. These creatures characteristically have tough forewings and lack teeth, such as beetles. True bugs have a stylet (a mouth shaped like a straw) that they use to suck juices from plants. Insects belong to the class Insecta and they are characterized by three-part bodies, usually two pairs of wings, and …
Nearby words
Origin of rove beetle
First recorded in 1765–75
Also called staphylinid.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for rove beetle
Of this description is the maxilla in the common dung-beetle (Geotrupes stercorarius), and rove-beetle (Staphylinus olens).
An Introduction to Entomology: Vol. III (of 4)|William Kirby
rove beetle
noun
any beetle of the family Staphylinidae, characterized by very short elytra and an elongated body: typically they are of carnivorous or scavenging habits
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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