Red-Shouldered Aphodius vs Tawny Emperor

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red-Shouldered Aphodius Tawny Emperor
Scientific Name Aphodius rufipes Asterocampa clyton
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Nymphalidae
Size 10-13 mm 40-65 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Rivers & Streams
Diet Dung Feeders Dung Feeders
Regions Europe Eastern and Central North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Red-Shouldered Aphodius

A medium-sized dweller dung beetle that is entirely black except for reddish-brown leg joints. It is strongly attracted to lights at night and is one of the larger European Aphodius species. Larvae develop inside cattle dung.

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Did You Know?

On warm summer nights, large numbers can be seen flying to artificial lights near cattle pastures.

Tawny Emperor

A warm tawny-brown butterfly with dark bars and a row of small eyespots on the hindwing. Unlike most butterflies, it rarely visits flowers, preferring tree sap and rotting fruit.

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Did You Know?

It is strongly attracted to human perspiration and will readily land on sweaty hikers.