Spanish Fly Beetle vs Light Brown Apple Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spanish Fly Beetle Light Brown Apple Moth
Scientific Name Berberomeloe majalis Epiphyas postvittana
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Meloidae Tortricidae
Size 30-70mm 16-25 mm wingspan
Habitat Grasslands Orchards
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Africa Australia (native), New Zealand, Europe, North America (invasive)
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Spanish Fly Beetle

A huge wingless blister beetle with a massively swollen red and black banded abdomen. The largest European meloid.

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Did You Know?

One of the largest beetle species in Europe with a body so heavy it resembles a fat caterpillar more than a beetle.

Light Brown Apple Moth

A small variable brown moth native to Australia that has invaded several continents. It feeds on over 500 plant species, making it an exceptionally polyphagous pest.

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Did You Know?

It holds the record for the broadest known host-plant range of any tortricid moth.