Clavigerite Ant Beetle vs Metallic Eumolpine Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Clavigerite Ant Beetle | Metallic Eumolpine Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Claviger testaceus | Chrysochus asclepiadeus |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Staphylinidae | Chrysomelidae |
| Size | 2-3 mm | 8-10 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Mountains |
| Diet | Omnivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | Europe | Southern and Central Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Clavigerite Ant Beetle
A tiny, blind, wingless rove beetle that is an obligate guest of Lasius ant colonies. It has lost its eyes and developed specialized trichomes that secrete ant-appeasing compounds.
Did You Know?
It is so dependent on ants that it cannot survive more than a few hours outside their nest.
Metallic Eumolpine Beetle
A brilliant metallic dark blue to violet beetle closely related to the North American dogbane beetles. It is found on vincetoxicum and other Asclepiadaceae in the mountains of Europe.
Did You Know?
Like its North American relatives on milkweed, it sequesters toxic cardiac glycosides from its host plant to deter predators.