Deer Ked vs Xantholine Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Deer Ked Xantholine Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Lipoptena cervi Xantholinus linearis
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Hippoboscidae Staphylinidae
Size 5-7 mm 6-9 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Blood Feeders Predators
Regions Europe, Asia, introduced to North America Europe, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Deer Ked

A flattened, reddish-brown blood-sucking fly that sheds its wings upon finding a deer host. It clings tenaciously to the hair with strong claws and feeds on blood throughout its life.

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Did You Know?

After landing on a host, it breaks off its own wings permanently, spending the rest of its life as a wingless ectoparasite.

Xantholine Rove Beetle

An elongated, shiny black rove beetle with a distinctive long head. It hunts small invertebrates in soil and under bark.

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Did You Know?

Its extremely elongated head allows it to probe deep into bark crevices and soil pores for hidden prey.