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This bug was running around my driveway last night. It was very fast and wouldn't hold still - this is about the clearest shot that I got of it. As far as I could tell, there were no legs behind that 3rd segment - it was just dragging those.

I've never seen this, or anything like this in Arkansas. What is it?

Weird black bug

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    $\begingroup$ Approximate size? $\endgroup$
    – theforestecologist ♦
    Aug 6, 2016 at 15:27

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Looks like the larvae of a carrion or burrowing beetle (i.e. some beetle species of the family Silphidae). Not sure on the species yet.

Wikipedia provides a good introduction to this family of insects.

Here's a picture: enter image description here

And another: Silphidae larvae

Did you see (or more likely smell) any dead carcasses around your property?

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  • $\begingroup$ That's surely it. We actually have a cat that kills moles, a variety of rodents, and (sadly) birds. I suspect it was after one of those. It's odd, though, because it looks like the adult beetles are fairly large, and I haven't noticed any of them yet. $\endgroup$
    – Wayne Werner
    Aug 6, 2016 at 19:48

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