Brown House Moth vs Alder Leaf Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Brown House Moth Alder Leaf Beetle
Scientific Name Hofmannophila pseudospretella Agelastica alni
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Oecophoridae Chrysomelidae
Size 15-25 mm wingspan 6-7 mm
Habitat Indoors Ponds & Lakes
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Cosmopolitan; believed native to Asia Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Brown House Moth

A dull bronze-brown moth with darker flecks that is a widespread household pest. Unlike clothes moths, it feeds on a vast range of organic materials.

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Did You Know?

It can complete its life cycle on a diet of owl pellets alone, making old bird nests ideal nurseries.

Alder Leaf Beetle

A metallic dark violet-blue beetle that feeds on alder trees. Heavy infestations can completely defoliate alder trees along waterways.

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Did You Know?

After being absent from Britain for decades, it dramatically recolonised southern England in the early 2000s.