Ahh...a google search for "beetle with spikey ridge" turned up the name of "Wheel Bug." Eats caterpillars and other soft insects, and apparently has a bite that is described as 10x worse than a hornet's bite. Good thing I wasn't the least bit tempted to touch that thing!

That curved beak is what it stabs its victims with....injects powerful digestive juices and then sucks the dissolved 'innards' back through the beak.

The stab is very painful, as you can imagine, and the digestive juices can cause some very uncomfortable reactions.

These fascinating insect are not beetles, but closely related to stinkbugs.

I always hope to see them every summer! They are beneficial!