Family: Staphylinidae
Subfamily: Paederinae
Length: 7-10 mm
Like so many other species of Rove Beetle, Homaeotarsus bicolor is found under stones and leaf litter. It also may be found feeding on fungi, and is attracted to lights.
Moving from front to back, this beetle alternates several times between its dark and light color. The mouthparts are brown, then the head is black, the pronotum and elytra are brown, most of the abdomen is black, and the final abdominal segments are brown. The antennae and legs are pale.
Researchers report that this species thrives in the laboratory, in the larval and adult stages, on a diet of Springtails and Drosophila flies.
Right: Homaeotarsus bicolor moving through a damp area in the mountains. West Virginia is home to several species in this genus, including Homaeotarsus strenuus.
