Clouded Rove Beetle vs Rustic Soldier Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Clouded Rove Beetle Rustic Soldier Beetle
Scientific Name Staphylinus nebulosis Cantharis rustica
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Staphylinidae Cantharidae
Size 15-20 mm 11-15 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Southern Europe, Mediterranean Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Clouded Rove Beetle

A large European rove beetle with a cloudy gray-brown pubescence pattern and powerful jaws. It is a nocturnal hunter that shelters under stones and bark during the day.

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Did You Know?

This beetle can run surprisingly fast for its size, capable of outpacing most of its prey across the forest floor.

Rustic Soldier Beetle

A common European soldier beetle with dark elytra and an orange-red pronotum marked with a black spot. It is an active predator on flower heads.

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Did You Know?

The dark heart-shaped mark on its pronotum is a reliable identification feature across its range.