Dichotomius Dung Beetle vs Black Horse Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Dichotomius Dung Beetle | Black Horse Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dichotomius carolinus | Tabanus atratus |
| Order | Coleoptera | Diptera |
| Family | Scarabaeidae | Tabanidae |
| Size | 20-30 mm | 20-28 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Dung Feeders | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | North America (southeastern United States), Central America | Eastern United States from the Great Plains to the Atlantic coast |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Dichotomius Dung Beetle
A large, robust black tunneling dung beetle with a distinctive bifurcate (forked) horn in males. Females have a transverse ridge on the head instead. It is a nocturnal species that excavates deep tunnels under cattle dung.
Did You Know?
The forked horn gives this genus its name, from the Greek dichotomous meaning divided in two.
Black Horse Fly
A very large entirely black horse fly and one of the biggest flies in North America. Females are persistent blood-feeders that can harass livestock and humans during summer months.
Did You Know?
Its larvae are aquatic predators that live in muddy pond bottoms and can take up to two years to complete development.