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Thinopinus Pictus – Pictured Rove Beetle

Adult: 18-22mm.

Order Coleoptera/ Family Staphylinidae – Rove Beetles

These large flightless beetles can be seen in great numbers on the surface of the sand at Torrey Pines State Beach only at night where they prey on other insects of the kelp wrack community. During the day, they are burrowed beneath the sand. Though distributed on sandy beaches from Baja California to the northern California, the available undisturbed habitat has been greatly reduced due to removal of seaweed by various civic sanitation programs. The larvae are similar to adults in form and habits but lack the wing covers.