Wolf Beetles

This is a beetle of the family Lycidae (Coleoptera). 

The official common name for this family is net-winged beetles but I prefer to call them wolf beetles. The family name Lycidae comes from the Greek lykos, which means wolf. They were given this name because some species have an elongated face that resembles a snout and gives them a somewhat wolf-like appearance. However, the name net-winged beetles is probably more appropriate since the majority of species do not possess a snout, and the distinctive raised ridges on their elytra help distinguish them from other beetle families that occur in the same habitats and have similar coloration.

For example, soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae, right)
and fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae, below) are often found on foliage or flowers during the daytime. Many of these beetles also are brightly colored with alternating patterns of black and yellow or orange. This type of coloration is thought to warn predators that they are distasteful or poisonous.