Staphylinidae (rove beetles)

The rove beetles (Staphy­linidae) are the 2nd largest family in the animal kingdom with more than 50,000 scientifically described species worldwide. In Germany more than 1500 species are found. Their short elytra leave more than half of their abdomen exposed. There is a considerable variation among the species, sizes range from <1 mm to more than 30 mm. Most of them are of elongate shape. Due the high number of species, rove beetles are known from every type of habitat beetles occur in. Most rove beetles are predators (carnivorous), others feed on decaying plant matter. Some are associated with ants, others life in nests of mammals. Their determination is often not easy, indeed in some cases extremely difficult.