This beetle eats snails and if there are none about, slugs. Everyone should have one. Slug eater beetle. ( photo / image / picture from Kildale's Garden )
I would have taken your beetle for some kind of weevil and would probably have squished it if I'd found it. Maybe some day we'll have them over here and now that I've seen what it looks like I'll leave it well alone if I come across it. Now if only I could find something that liked to munch on Red Lily Beetles I'd be over the moon.
