Have you seen this it has a reddish purple stripe? I think it is some sort of?

Question

beetle.. The reddish purple stripe goes down its back! Does anyone know what type of bug it is? I saw it while watering my garden!
Is it harmless or harmful? is my main concern!

Additional Details

I said I think it is some sort of beetle!
Well I never saw one with a reddish purple stripe! Someone told me it's a wood beetle lives amongst rotten wood. It is black mostly but with the reddish purple stripe! Brian B said it could be related to the Water Beetle.
The wood beetle he says can cause flu like symptons if it bites! I don't know if it's true!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

We need more information. At the very least, tell us how many legs it has. If it has 8, it will be a spider or a tick. If it has 6 legs, it will be an insect.

Was it like a beetle? You can see pics of various beetles on wikipedia. Take a look and this might help you begin to be able to identify the bug you saw.

Source(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetle