Small-headed Fly vs Two-Spotted Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Small-headed Fly Two-Spotted Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Ogcodes pallidipennis Onthophagus nuchicornis
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Acroceridae Scarabaeidae
Size 4-8 mm 6-9 mm
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Parasitoids Dung Feeders
Regions Europe Europe, Asia, introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Small-headed Fly

A round-bodied fly with a tiny head whose larva parasitizes spiders from the inside.

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Did You Know?

The first-instar larva attaches to a passing spider and burrows inside to feed.

Two-Spotted Dung Beetle

A small, mottled brown and yellow tunneling dung beetle with two dark spots on the pronotum. Males have a single backward-pointing horn on the nape. It is one of the most common dung beetles in European pastures.

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Did You Know?

This species was accidentally introduced to North America and is now one of the most common dung beetles on the continent.