Flat Bark Beetle vs Japanese Soldier Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Flat Bark Beetle Japanese Soldier Fly
Scientific Name Cucujus cinnaberinus Ptecticus tenebrifer
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Cucujidae Stratiomyidae
Size 11-15 mm 10-14 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Wood Feeders Scavengers
Regions Europe East Asia
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Flat Bark Beetle

A bright red, extremely flat beetle that lives beneath the bark of dead trees. It is an indicator species of old-growth forests.

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Did You Know?

Its body is so flat it can fit into spaces less than 2mm thick between bark layers.

Japanese Soldier Fly

A slender soldier fly with a metallic greenish-black body and elongate antennae. It is commonly found near decaying organic matter in gardens and forests across East Asia.

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Did You Know?

Like the black soldier fly, species of Ptecticus are being studied as potential bioconversion agents for organic waste.