Lesser Stag Beetle vs Spotted Asparagus Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Lesser Stag Beetle	Spotted Asparagus Beetle
Scientific Name	Dorcus parallelipipedus	Crioceris duodecimpunctata
Order	Coleoptera	Coleoptera
Family	Lucanidae	Chrysomelidae
Size	19-32 mm	6-7 mm
Habitat	Woodlands	Farmland
Diet	Wood Feeders	Herbivores
Regions	Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe	Europe, introduced to North America
Conservation	Least Concern	Not Evaluated

Lesser Stag Beetle

A robust, matt-black beetle found across European woodlands. Unlike its larger cousin, both sexes have similarly sized mandibles.

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Larvae take three to four years to develop inside rotting logs before pupating.

A reddish-orange beetle with twelve black spots on its elytra. It is a pest of asparagus, with larvae feeding inside the berries.

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Unlike its relative the common asparagus beetle, its larvae feed inside the berries rather than on stems.