Elm Seed Bug vs Red Pumpkin Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Elm Seed Bug Red Pumpkin Beetle
Scientific Name Arocatus melanocephalus Aulacophora foveicollis
Order Hemiptera Coleoptera
Family Lygaeidae Chrysomelidae
Size 6-7 mm 5-8 mm
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Seed Feeders Seed Feeders
Regions Europe (native), Northwestern North America (invasive) South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Elm Seed Bug

A small seed bug native to southern Europe that has become an invasive nuisance pest in the northwestern United States. It aggregates in enormous numbers on and inside buildings in summer and fall.

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Did You Know?

Thousands can invade a single home seeking shelter, producing a foul odor when disturbed or crushed.

Red Pumpkin Beetle

A uniformly bright orange-red beetle with fine punctures on the pronotum and smooth elytra. It is a highly destructive pest of cucurbits throughout tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa.

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Did You Know?

In India, this beetle is one of the top three most damaging pests of cucurbit vegetables, attacking over 80 species of cucurbits.