Metallic Hister Beetle vs Willow Calligrapha

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Metallic Hister Beetle Willow Calligrapha
Scientific Name Saprinus semistriatus Calligrapha multipunctata bigsbyana
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Histeridae Chrysomelidae
Size 3-5 mm 7-9 mm
Habitat Farmland Wetlands
Diet Carrion Feeders Herbivores
Regions Europe, North Africa, Western Asia North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Metallic Hister Beetle

A small beetle with a metallic blue-green sheen found on carrion and sun-dried carcasses. It is frequently used in forensic entomology studies.

💡

Did You Know?

Its predictable arrival timeline on corpses makes it a valuable indicator for forensic investigators estimating time since death.

Willow Calligrapha

A subspecies of Calligrapha with pale elytra marked with elongated dark spots and dashes. It is associated with willow trees along waterways in North America.

💡

Did You Know?

Calligrapha beetles are a model system for studying pattern formation in biology, as no two individuals share the same elytral markings.