Arctic Ground Beetle vs Scarlet Malachite Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Arctic Ground Beetle Scarlet Malachite Beetle
Scientific Name Amara alpina Malachius aeneus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Carabidae Melyridae
Size 5-8 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Meadows
Diet Herbivores Pollen Feeders
Regions Arctic Scandinavia, northern Russia, Siberia, Arctic Canada, Greenland Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Arctic Ground Beetle

A small, dark bronze ground beetle found on Arctic and alpine tundra. It has a broad, flattened body ideal for sheltering under stones. Adults are active during the brief Arctic summer and are partially herbivorous.

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Did You Know?

This beetle has been found in Quaternary fossil deposits across northern Europe, showing it has inhabited the tundra since the last Ice Age.

Scarlet Malachite Beetle

A small beetle with brilliant red and metallic green coloring. Males have peculiar orange head appendages used during courtship.

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Did You Know?

The female bites and feeds on the male's orange head organs during mating as a nuptial gift.