Horned Dung Beetle vs Band-eyed Brown Horse Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Horned Dung Beetle Band-eyed Brown Horse Fly
Scientific Name Onthophagus taurus Tabanus bromius
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Scarabaeidae Tabanidae
Size 8-11 mm 13-17 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Dung Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia, North America (introduced) Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Horned Dung Beetle

The strongest insect on Earth relative to body size — can pull 1,141 times its own body weight. Males have curved horns used in underground tunnel combat for mating rights.

💡

Did You Know?

This beetle can pull 1,141 times its body weight — equivalent to a human pulling six double-decker buses. Its strength evolved from intense male-male combat in dung tunnels.

Band-eyed Brown Horse Fly

A common European horse fly with distinctive banded eyes. It is one of the most frequent biters of cattle across Europe.

💡

Did You Know?

Its compound eyes display brilliant iridescent bands that fade after death.