Oak Pinhole Borer vs Hemiandrus Earwig
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Oak Pinhole Borer | Hemiandrus Earwig |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Platypus cylindrus | Hemimerus talpoides |
| Order | Coleoptera | Dermaptera |
| Family | Curculionidae | Hemimeridae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 8-12 mm |
| Habitat | Gardens | Farmland |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Oak Pinhole Borer
A tiny ambrosia beetle that bores into oak trees and cultivates fungal gardens inside its tunnels. The only European species of its subfamily. Males guard the tunnel entrance.
Did You Know?
One of the few farming insects in Europe, cultivating fungal crops inside tunnels bored into oak wood.
Hemiandrus Earwig
A blind, wingless earwig that lives exclusively as a commensal on giant pouched rats. Its cerci are modified into short, unsegmented claspers rather than the typical forceps.
Did You Know?
Unlike all other earwigs, Hemimerus gives birth to live young that develop inside the mother via a placenta-like structure.