Brown Chafer vs Provencal Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Brown Chafer Provencal Cicada
Scientific Name Serica brunnea Lyristes plebejus
Order Coleoptera Hemiptera
Family Scarabaeidae Cicadidae
Size 8-11 mm 36-42 mm
Habitat Heathland Heathland
Diet Root Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Europe Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Brown Chafer

A small chestnut-brown beetle with a velvety sheen to its elytra. It is nocturnal and attracted to lights on warm summer nights.

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Did You Know?

Its velvety appearance is caused by tiny, densely packed hairs covering the entire body surface.

Provencal Cicada

A large European cicada iconic to the Mediterranean region, especially Provence. Its loud continuous song is a defining sound of southern French summers.

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Did You Know?

It is such a cultural symbol of Provence that ceramic cicada ornaments are sold as souvenirs across the region.