Oak Pinhole Borer vs Namib Tenebrionid Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Oak Pinhole Borer Namib Tenebrionid Beetle
Scientific Name Platypus cylindrus Onymacris plana
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Curculionidae Tenebrionidae
Size 4-6 mm 18-24 mm
Habitat Gardens Deserts & Drylands
Diet Omnivores Seed Feeders
Regions Europe 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.

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Did You Know?

One of the few farming insects in Europe, cultivating fungal crops inside tunnels bored into oak wood.

Namib Tenebrionid Beetle

A fast-running diurnal beetle of the Namib sand sea. It is one of the few desert insects active during peak midday heat.

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Did You Know?

It can tolerate body temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, among the highest for any insect.