"K" wrote in message
...
soup writes
David (in Normandy) wrote:
This sounds exactly like a black insect we have here in Normandy -
this also arched its back in a menacing way - Devil's Coachhorse.
They can also run like Linford Christie on Speed!
Try this link:
http://www.essexwt.org.uk/species/de...e%20beetle.htm

Sounds and looks exactly right ,
http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/devils...tcm3-60302.jpg
so should I worry about seeing one in the house?

You did the right thing in putting it out rather than killing it - I
think they're not very common.

They are regarded as fairly common throughout the UK, in fact they are the
only large black beetles which are so. In my experience, they're more common
in the south than the north. They may not be commonly seen, because they
hide by day, coming out at night to hunt worms and slugs.