Oil Beetle vs Common Aleocharine
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Oil Beetle | Common Aleocharine |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Meloe proscarabaeus | Atheta coriaria |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Meloidae | Staphylinidae |
| Size | 15-35 mm | 3-4 mm |
| Habitat | Beaches & Coastal | Underground |
| Diet | Omnivores | Predators |
| Regions | Europe | Holarctic, now distributed globally through commercial biocontrol |
| Conservation | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
Oil Beetle
A large, flightless beetle with shortened elytra and a swollen abdomen. It secretes an oily, blistering compound called cantharidin when threatened.
Did You Know?
Females can lay over 1,000 eggs, but larvae must hitch a ride on a solitary bee to survive.
Common Aleocharine
A tiny, dark brown aleocharine rove beetle now commercially sold as a biological control agent. It is an aggressive predator of fungus gnat larvae, thrips, and shore fly larvae in greenhouses.
Did You Know?
This beetle is sold commercially by biocontrol companies and released by the thousands in greenhouses to control fungus gnats organically.