Common Aleocharine vs Spanish Copris

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Aleocharine Spanish Copris
Scientific Name Atheta coriaria Copris hispanus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Staphylinidae Scarabaeidae
Size 3-4 mm 18-27mm
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Predators Dung Feeders
Regions Holarctic, now distributed globally through commercial biocontrol Europe
Conservation Least Concern Near Threatened

Common Aleocharine

A tiny, dark brown aleocharine rove beetle now commercially sold as a biological control agent. It is an aggressive predator of fungus gnat larvae, thrips, and shore fly larvae in greenhouses.

💡

Did You Know?

This beetle is sold commercially by biocontrol companies and released by the thousands in greenhouses to control fungus gnats organically.

Spanish Copris

A large shiny black dung beetle with a single curved horn on the males head. It constructs elaborate underground brood chambers beneath dung pats.

💡

Did You Know?

Both parents cooperate to sculpt perfectly round dung balls in underground chambers and guard them until the larvae pupate.