Shiny Lined Rove Beetle vs Emerald Cuckoo Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Shiny Lined Rove Beetle Emerald Cuckoo Wasp
Scientific Name Xantholinus longiventris Stilbum cyanurum
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Staphylinidae Chrysididae
Size 6-8 mm 10-18 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia, introduced to North America Africa, Southern Asia, Australia, Southern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Shiny Lined Rove Beetle

A distinctively elongate rove beetle with a shiny black head and pronotum, and reddish-brown elytra. It hunts in narrow spaces and is commonly found in synanthropic habitats.

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Did You Know?

The disproportionately large mandibles of this beetle, relative to its narrow head, allow it to subdue prey in tight spaces where it has a significant advantage.

Emerald Cuckoo Wasp

One of the largest and most spectacular cuckoo wasps with a vivid metallic green and blue body. It parasitizes mud dauber wasp nests across the Old World tropics.

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Did You Know?

It is the largest cuckoo wasp in the world and its metallic colors can shift from green to blue depending on the viewing angle.