Japanese Deathwatch Beetle vs Hairy-footed Flower Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Deathwatch Beetle Hairy-footed Flower Bee
Scientific Name Priobium flavicorne Anthophora plumipes
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Ptinidae Apidae
Size 4-7 mm 14-16 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Wood Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions East Asia, Japan Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Japanese Deathwatch Beetle

A wood-boring beetle found in Japan that infests structural timber in traditional Japanese buildings. The larvae bore through seasoned wood, potentially weakening historical wooden structures.

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Did You Know?

These beetles tap their heads against wood to attract mates, creating a ticking sound that in Western folklore was associated with death watches in quiet rooms.

Hairy-footed Flower Bee

A fast-flying, plump solitary bee with males covered in tawny hair and females jet black. It is one of the earliest spring bees, often visiting pulmonaria and comfrey.

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Did You Know?

Males hover in front of flowers like tiny hummingbirds, darting between blooms at high speed.