Unknown beetle...friend or foe?

good shot lori

handsome devil either way!

By those lovely huge mandibles I'd say he preys on something...

Looked in my book Lori and there are beetles very similar called darkling beetles that scavenge on decaying vegetable or animal material. Some prey on small insects. Some of the lavae eat the plant roots......but there are many different sorts around the world.

thanks Lindak... I had a feeling from those lovely mandibles of his that he ate something other than plant matter...lol. Isn't it amazing the number of species? I usually google the agri university in Guelph for the lowdown on what's local. I don't do that often because I get lost for a day or so....lol