Molossus Scarab vs Pitted Ambrosia Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Molossus Scarab Pitted Ambrosia Beetle
Scientific Name Catharsius molossus Cnesinus strigicollis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Curculionidae
Size 25-40 mm 2-3mm
Habitat Grasslands Gardens
Diet Dung Feeders Fungus Feeders
Regions South Asia, Southeast Asia North America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Molossus Scarab

A large, robust black tunneling dung beetle found across South and Southeast Asia. Males have a prominent curved horn on the head and two smaller pronotal horns. It is one of the most common large dung beetles in Asian pastures.

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Did You Know?

This species can bury an amount of dung equal to 250 times its body weight in a single night.

Pitted Ambrosia Beetle

A tiny dark brown bark beetle that cultivates fungal gardens inside its tunnels. It introduces ambrosia fungi into the wood which it and its larvae eat.

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Did You Know?

It is one of many beetle species that practice true agriculture cultivating fungal crops inside tree tunnels for food.