Woolly Darkling Beetle

Eleodes osculans, the wooly darkling beetle, is a common nocturnal insect in coastal southern California. As a stink beetle of genus Eleodes, its easily observed defensive posture is to raise its hind end and secrete an unpleasant odor. This is one of the few darkling beetles species in North America, to be covered in visible fuzz. E. osculans alone has brightly colored reddish brown hair atop its black elytra.