clown beetle

English edit

A clown beetle, Hister unicolor

clown beetle (plural clown beetles)

Any beetle of the family Histeridae.
Synonym: hister beetle
- 2006, Arthur V. Evans, Field Guide to Beetles of California, page 80:
  The clown beetle family is fascinating yet poorly understood in terms of its biology and distribution in California. […] As predators, some clown beetles are moderately beneficial. Species living in dung are probably of greater importance because they prey on pestiferous flies infesting accumulations of animal waste in cattle pastures and poultry farms.