Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This creature, about 1.25" long hopped out from under my car this morning in sunny Edinburgh, UK. I thought it was a cockroach.

However, it does not resemble any of the types shown on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockroach

Photos:
http://members.aol.com/pcar964/insect/insect01.jpg
http://members.aol.com/pcar964/insect/insect02.jpg
http://members.aol.com/pcar964/insect/insect03.jpg
http://members.aol.com/pcar964/insect/insect04.jpg
http://members.aol.com/pcar964/insect/insect05.jpg
http://members.aol.com/pcar964/insect/insect06.jpg

Colours aren't that good, but the shell has a dark greenish tinge, it's not black or brown. The smooth hard wing (?) covers extend right to the end and sides of the abdomen. When turning it over with a stick to photograph underbody, it violently attacked the stick.

If it is a cockroach, what species? If not, what is it?

Thanks,

Peter

For some reason, I wasn't able to load any of your pictures.

Strange that the photos wouldn't load.

Got the answer on another forum. It's a Diving Beetle

http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/coleop.htm#water

http://www.peatlandsni.gov.uk/wildlife/aquainvert/waterbeetles.htm

Glad to hear that you received the ID. I believe that I couldn't load it due to not having "uk" somewhere in the site path...but I haven't tried it. Generally, you can put an image on the forums, too (although, I've never uploaded an image myself).

Cheers