European Beewolf vs Pasimachus Flat Ground Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute European Beewolf Pasimachus Flat Ground Beetle
Scientific Name Philanthus triangulum Pasimachus depressus
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Crabronidae Carabidae
Size 12-18 mm 22-30 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Deserts & Drylands
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe Southeastern United States
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

European Beewolf

A large, striking yellow-and-black solitary wasp that specialises in hunting honeybees. Females paralyse bees in flight and carry them back to sandy burrow nests.

💡

Did You Know?

Females embalm their honeybee prey with an antifungal secretion to keep it fresh for their larvae.

Pasimachus Flat Ground Beetle

A large, broad, flattened shiny black beetle with massive mandibles and distinctive blue-margined elytra. It is one of the most imposing ground beetles in North America.

💡

Did You Know?

Its immensely powerful mandibles can easily pierce through the tough exoskeleton of other beetles, and it has been observed killing and eating June bugs and other scarabs.