Tuesday 23 April 2024

What's In a Critter's Name? 8. Devil's coach horse beetle

In Ireland, what we now call the Devil's coach horse beetle (Staphylinus olens), was simply known as 'Dar Daol' or 'the Devil's beetle'. It was thought to deliver curses to humans, by pointing at them with its upraised body.

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What's In a Critter's Name? 38. Piranha

The name 'piranha' originates from the indigenous South American Tupi. It's formed from 2 of their words, namely pira (fish) an...