Harpalus Seed-eating Ground Beetle vs Two-Spotted Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Harpalus Seed-eating Ground Beetle Two-Spotted Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Harpalus rufipes Onthophagus nuchicornis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Carabidae Scarabaeidae
Size 11-16 mm 6-9 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Grasslands
Diet Predators Dung Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia, Introduced to North America Europe, Asia, introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Harpalus Seed-eating Ground Beetle

A common Palearctic ground beetle with pubescent elytra and orange-red legs. Despite being partly granivorous, it also preys on aphids and small insects.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few ground beetles that feeds heavily on weed seeds, making it a valuable pest control ally.

Two-Spotted Dung Beetle

A small, mottled brown and yellow tunneling dung beetle with two dark spots on the pronotum. Males have a single backward-pointing horn on the nape. It is one of the most common dung beetles in European pastures.

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Did You Know?

This species was accidentally introduced to North America and is now one of the most common dung beetles on the continent.