Dung Roller Beetle vs African Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dung Roller Beetle African Cicada
Scientific Name Kheper nigroaeneus Platypleura hirtipennis
Order Coleoptera Hemiptera
Family Scarabaeidae Cicadidae
Size 25-40 mm 35-50 mm body length
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Dung Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Africa East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dung Roller Beetle

A large dung beetle that navigates using the Milky Way to roll balls in straight lines.

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Did You Know?

It was the first animal proven to use the Milky Way for orientation.

African Cicada

A large cicada with brownish wings and a stout body. Males produce a deafening chorus using specialized tymbal organs on the abdomen during the hot hours of the day.

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Did You Know?

The sound of a cicada chorus can reach over 100 decibels, making them among the loudest insects in the world.