Featherwing Beetle vs Southern Pine Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Featherwing Beetle | Southern Pine Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Scydosella musawasensis | Dendroctonus frontalis |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Ptiliidae | Curculionidae |
| Size | 0.325 mm | 2-4 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Forests |
| Diet | Fungus Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Central America | Southeastern United States from Texas to Virginia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Featherwing Beetle
The smallest known free-living (non-parasitic) insect at just 0.325 mm long. Discovered in Nicaragua in 1999, it feeds on spores of basidiomycete fungi in rotting wood.
Did You Know?
At 0.325 mm, this beetle is about the width of the period at the end of this sentence — yet it is a fully functional adult insect with complete organ systems.
Southern Pine Beetle
A tiny dark brown bark beetle that is the most destructive insect pest of southern pine forests. Infestations can kill thousands of trees in a single outbreak.
Did You Know?
Its S-shaped larval galleries beneath the bark are so distinctive they can be used to identify the species.