Japanese Copper vs Varied Carpet Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Copper Varied Carpet Beetle
Scientific Name Lycaena phlaeas daimio Anthrenus verbasci
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Lycaenidae Dermestidae
Size 22-30 mm wingspan 2-3 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Omnivores
Regions East Asia, Japan Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Japanese Copper

The Japanese subspecies of the small copper butterfly, known as 'beni-shijimi.' A small but brilliantly colored butterfly with fiery orange-copper wings. One of the most common butterflies in Japan.

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Did You Know?

Male small coppers are aggressively territorial and will challenge insects much larger than themselves, including large butterflies and dragonflies.

Varied Carpet Beetle

A tiny, round beetle with mottled white, brown, and yellow scales on its elytra. It is a worldwide pest of natural fiber collections.

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Did You Know?

Museum curators consider it one of the greatest threats to insect specimen collections.