Elongated-neck
Guides
Phosphuga atrata
Black snail beetle
Phosphuga atrata is a European carrion beetle in the family Silphidae, commonly known as the black snail beetle. Adults are notable predators of live snails, using an elongated neck to reach into shells and spray digestive fluid to subdue prey. The species also feeds on insects, earthworms, and carrion. Larvae are similarly predatory on snails and pupate in soil. Coloration changes with age: young beetles are brownish, while mature adults become black.