Flower Chafer vs Columbine Sawfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Flower Chafer | Columbine Sawfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Oxythyrea funesta | Pristiphora aquilegiae |
| Order | Coleoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Scarabaeidae | Tenthredinidae |
| Size | 8-12 mm | 5-7 mm |
| Habitat | Gardens | Gardens |
| Diet | Pollen Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East | Europe, introduced to North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Flower Chafer
A small black flower beetle dotted with white spots, widespread across southern Europe and North Africa. It can be found in large numbers on roses and other garden flowers.
Did You Know?
Its Latin name funesta means mournful, referring to the black coloration dotted with white specks like a mourning garment.
Columbine Sawfly
A small, dark sawfly whose pale green larvae feed on the leaves of columbine plants. Larvae can cause significant damage in flower gardens.
Did You Know?
Larvae feed from the leaf edges inward and can reduce a columbine plant to bare stems and leaf ribs within days.