Large Shaggy Bee vs Coastal Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Shaggy Bee Coastal Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Panurgus banksianus Cafius xantholoma
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Melittidae Staphylinidae
Size 10-13 mm 6-9 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Beaches & Coastal
Diet Pollen Feeders Predators
Regions Europe Atlantic coasts of Europe and North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Large Shaggy Bee

A densely hairy black bee that specializes on composite flowers, particularly hawkbits and dandelions. Males have distinctively swollen, lemon-yellow faces.

💡

Did You Know?

Males' bright yellow face patches are thought to mimic the yellow disc florets of the composites they frequent, possibly to ambush females visiting flowers.

Coastal Rove Beetle

A medium-sized rove beetle with yellowish elytral margins, highly adapted to life on seashores. It lives under seaweed wrack on beaches where it preys on kelp fly larvae.

💡

Did You Know?

This beetle can survive temporary submersion in seawater during high tides by trapping an air bubble under its elytra.