Minotaur Beetle vs Barbados Cane Weevil

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Minotaur Beetle Barbados Cane Weevil
Scientific Name Typhaeus typhoeus Metamasius hemipterus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Geotrupidae Curculionidae
Size 15-22 mm 12-20 mm
Habitat Heathland Farmland
Diet Dung Feeders Omnivores
Regions Western Europe Barbados, Caribbean
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Minotaur Beetle

A robust, black beetle where males sport three forward-pointing horns on the thorax. It buries rabbit dung in deep underground tunnels.

💡

Did You Know?

Males dig tunnels up to 1.5 meters deep to provision underground brood chambers with dung.

Barbados Cane Weevil

A large weevil with variable striped patterns, originally from the Caribbean. It is a significant pest of sugarcane and palms.

💡

Did You Know?

It was accidentally spread worldwide through the tropical plant trade and is now a major palm pest in Florida.