African Melon Leaf Beetle vs Amazonian Net-Winged Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute African Melon Leaf Beetle Amazonian Net-Winged Beetle
Scientific Name Aulacophora africana Calopteron brasiliense
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Lycidae
Size 6-8 mm 10-20 mm
Habitat Farmland Underground
Diet Fruit Feeders Predators
Regions Sub-Saharan Africa Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

African Melon Leaf Beetle

A bright orange to yellowish-red beetle with a smooth, shiny surface that is a significant pest of cucurbit crops across sub-Saharan Africa. Both adults and larvae cause feeding damage.

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Did You Know?

Adults are attracted to cucurbitacins and can completely defoliate young cucumber and melon plants within days of crop emergence.

Amazonian Net-Winged Beetle

A soft-bodied beetle with broad, fan-shaped elytra featuring a net-like venation pattern. Its bright orange and black coloring warns predators of toxicity.

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Did You Know?

Multiple harmless beetle species mimic its warning coloration, forming a large Mullerian mimicry ring in the forest.