European Powderpost Beetle vs Common Water Penny

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute European Powderpost Beetle Common Water Penny
Scientific Name Lyctus linearis Psephenus herricki
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Bostrichidae Psephenidae
Size 2.5–5 mm 4-6 mm (adults); 6-10 mm (larvae)
Habitat Woodlands Rivers & Streams
Diet Wood Feeders Omnivores
Regions Europe, North Africa Eastern North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

European Powderpost Beetle

A common European powderpost beetle that infests dry hardwood. It is a significant pest of stored timber and wooden artifacts.

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Did You Know?

Females will only lay eggs in wood with a starch content above 3%, which they test by tasting the surface.

Common Water Penny

A small aquatic beetle whose larvae are flattened and round like a copper penny, clinging to rocks in fast streams. Adults are terrestrial and short-lived.

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Did You Know?

Larvae are so flat they can cling to rocks in torrential currents that would wash away most other insects.