Coffee Berry Borer vs Black Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Coffee Berry Borer Black Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Hypothenemus hampei Copris lunaris
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Curculionidae Scarabaeidae
Size 1.5-2 mm 15-22 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Omnivores Dung Feeders
Regions Central Africa (native), Pantropical (invasive) Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Coffee Berry Borer

A tiny, dark brown beetle that bores into coffee berries and is the most damaging pest of coffee worldwide. Females tunnel into the berry and lay eggs inside.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few animals that can detoxify caffeine, thanks to gut bacteria that break down the alkaloid.

Black Dung Beetle

A robust black dung beetle found across Europe and parts of Asia. Males bear a single curved horn on the head and exhibit biparental brood care.

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Did You Know?

Both parents cooperate to provision and guard the brood chamber, which is unusual among beetles.