Four-Spotted Carrion Beetle vs Red-legged Rove Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Four-Spotted Carrion Beetle | Red-legged Rove Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendroxena quadrimaculata | Lathrobium brunnipes |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Silphidae | Staphylinidae |
| Size | 12-16 mm | 5-8 mm |
| Habitat | Grasslands | Indoors |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | Europe, Western Asia | Europe, Western Siberia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Four-Spotted Carrion Beetle
A yellowish-brown beetle with four dark spots on its elytra, unusual for a silphid because it hunts in trees rather than on the ground. It climbs trunks searching for caterpillars.
Did You Know?
It is one of the only carrion beetles that has abandoned carrion feeding entirely, becoming an arboreal caterpillar predator.
Red-legged Rove Beetle
A slender, elongate paederine rove beetle with brown legs and a parallel-sided body. It is a soil-dwelling predator common in wet habitats across much of Europe.
Did You Know?
Several Lathrobium species have extremely restricted ranges, with some known from single cave systems or mountaintops, making the genus important for conservation biology.