Hermit Beetle vs European Xiphydriid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hermit Beetle European Xiphydriid
Scientific Name Osmoderma eremita Xiphydria longicollis
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Xiphydriidae
Size 25-35 mm 12-18 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Wood Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Hermit Beetle

A large, dark chestnut beetle that lives its entire life inside hollow old trees. It emits a strong fruity odor similar to apricots.

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Did You Know?

Most individuals never leave the tree they are born in, making them extremely poor colonizers.

European Xiphydriid

A slender wood wasp with a notably elongated pronotum giving it a long-necked appearance. The body is dark with pale lateral spots on the abdomen.

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Did You Know?

The elongated 'neck' that gives xiphydriids their distinctive appearance is actually an elongation of the pronotum, unique among wood wasps.