They have large eyes, and their mandibles close across each other in the front of the head and can inflict a painful stab if harassed or handled carelessly.

The hairy rove beetle has needle-like jaws that close across in front of head and large, prominent eyes.

These active beetles fly swiftly or run rapidly over the ground with the tip of the abdomen raised like a scorpion's stinger.

They are usually in wooded habitats such as forest leaf litter, decaying plant material (including fruit), and under dead tree bark.

Creophilus maxillosus has abdominal defensive glands used to secrete a mixture of substances that act as an irritant to predators.

When threatened or disturbed, the beetle revolves its abdomen and touches abdominal tip to offender to wipe the glands.

To solve the problem of infestation certain pesticides have been found to affect the adults and larvae of this beetle and can be used to control their numbers.

Hairy rove beetles are considered forensically important, however; their use is somewhat limited due to their transient nature and widespread distribution.

Croephilus maxillosus frequency at crime scene investigations conducted in their natural habitat often disqualifies them from being an indicator of body relocation.