Common Water Penny vs Broad Bean Weevil

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Water Penny Broad Bean Weevil
Scientific Name Psephenus herricki Bruchus rufimanus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Psephenidae Chrysomelidae
Size 4-6 mm (adults); 6-10 mm (larvae) 4-5 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Grasslands
Diet Omnivores Seed Feeders
Regions Eastern North America Europe, Mediterranean, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Water Penny

A small aquatic beetle whose larvae are flattened and round like a copper penny, clinging to rocks in fast streams. Adults are terrestrial and short-lived.

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Did You Know?

Larvae are so flat they can cling to rocks in torrential currents that would wash away most other insects.

Broad Bean Weevil

A compact, dark beetle with grayish pubescence and reddish-brown antennae bases. It is a significant pest of faba beans across Europe and the Mediterranean.

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Did You Know?

Adults emerge from stored seeds through a perfectly circular exit hole, leaving distinctive windows in the seed coat.