Sordid Dung Beetle vs Pied Hoverfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sordid Dung Beetle Pied Hoverfly
Scientific Name Aphodius sordidus Scaeva pyrastri
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Scarabaeidae Syrphidae
Size 4-7 mm 12-16 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Dung Feeders Predators
Regions Cosmopolitan Europe, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sordid Dung Beetle

A small, dark brown to black dweller dung beetle with yellowish-brown elytral margins. It is a cosmopolitan species found in agricultural habitats worldwide. Adults and larvae both feed within dung pats.

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Did You Know?

This species has hitchhiked with livestock trade across every continent except Antarctica.

Pied Hoverfly

A large, elegant hoverfly with white crescent-shaped markings on a dark abdomen. It is a strong migrant and beneficial aphid predator.

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Did You Know?

Its white crescent markings distinguish it from nearly all other European hoverflies at a glance.