Deathwatch Beetle vs Ross's Web Spinner
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Deathwatch Beetle | Ross's Web Spinner |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Xestobium rufovillosum | Chelicerca rubra |
| Order | Coleoptera | Embioptera |
| Family | Ptinidae | Chelicercidae |
| Size | 5-9 mm | 8.0-12.0 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Farmland |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Europe | Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
Deathwatch Beetle
A small, mottled brown wood-boring beetle that creates a distinctive tapping sound by banging its head against tunnel walls. Larvae can take years to develop in old timber.
Did You Know?
Its eerie tapping in quiet rooms at night was historically associated with impending death, giving the beetle its macabre common name.
Ross's Web Spinner
A reddish-brown web spinner found in tropical Africa that builds silk tunnels on tree bark. It is one of the more brightly colored embiopterans.
Did You Know?
The reddish coloration of this web spinner is unusual in the order, as most species are drab brown or black.