Red Mushroom Beetle vs Daffodil Aphodius

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red Mushroom Beetle Daffodil Aphodius
Scientific Name Oxyporus rufus Aphodius fossor
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Staphylinidae Scarabaeidae
Size 7-12 mm 9-13 mm
Habitat Woodlands Heathland
Diet Herbivores Dung Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Europe, Northern Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Red Mushroom Beetle

A striking red and black rove beetle that lives in and feeds on fresh mushroom caps. Has large, powerful mandibles for cutting fungal tissue. One of the few herbivorous rove beetles.

💡

Did You Know?

Unusual among rove beetles for being a herbivore, with powerful mandibles adapted for cutting through fungal tissue.

Daffodil Aphodius

A large, entirely shiny black dweller dung beetle with a convex, robust body. Despite being classified as a dweller, it also makes shallow burrows beneath dung. One of the earliest spring-active dung beetles in Europe.

💡

Did You Know?

It is one of the first dung beetles to appear in spring, sometimes emerging while snow is still on the ground.