A man has told of his shock after he spotted a scorpion-like beetle on a St Andrews street.
The insect, a Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle, was spotted on Shoolbraids by Shaun Smith while he was walking with his partner on Saturday.
He said he was surprised when he saw the uncommon insect in the Fife town.
The 34-year-old, who works at Crail Raceway, The Courier: “I was just walking along to the shops with my partner when I spotted it on the pavement outside my house.
“When I first saw it, I wasn’t sure what it was at all – it was moving around on the pavement and I thought ‘wow’.
“I had a feeling it was a beetle but wasn’t sure what kind it was.
“I do quite a lot of animal photography so just snapped it on my phone.
“When I took the picture, I put it on a nature group on Facebook and I found out what it was.”
“It was just interesting to see something you’ve never seen before.”
What is a Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle?
The beetle may be uncommon – but you should not expect to never see them in the UK.
Often confused for a scorpion, the insect has a large jaw and a cocked tail and can also give you a nasty – but not poisonous – bite.
Vanessa Hartley, from Andy Law Pest Control, advised people not to go too near the spooky insect.
She said: “You don’t see them very often, but when you do see them you get an awful shock.
“People think they are a scorpion because of the way they raise their tails in a very threatening manner.
“Customers find them very alarming, and so do we as well.
“They are often found around warehouses, including in Dundee, but they aren’t something you would see every day.
“It is thought they are often carried around in cargo ships – so you shouldn’t be surprised to see it in seaside port towns.
“Don’t pick them up unless you want a nasty jolt.
“The minute you approach them they will raise their tail like a scorpion – it’s fascinating when you see them.”
The beetle joins a number of strange animals that have been spotted in Tayside and Fife.
Conversation