Splendid Earth-boring Beetle vs Polar Rove Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Splendid Earth-boring Beetle | Polar Rove Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bolbocerosoma farctum | Atheta graminicola |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Geotrupidae | Staphylinidae |
| Size | 8-14mm | 2-4 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Heathland |
| Diet | Fungus Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | North America | Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Iceland, subarctic Canada |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Splendid Earth-boring Beetle
A stout rotund beetle with a polished amber-brown body. It digs deep burrows in sandy soil and is attracted to lights at night.
Did You Know?
It helps propagate underground fungi by carrying fungal spores between burrows acting as a subterranean gardener.
Polar Rove Beetle
A tiny, elongate rove beetle with short wing covers and a flexible abdomen. It is dark brown to black and very agile. It lives among decaying vegetation and is a predator of mites and other small arthropods.
Did You Know?
Rove beetles like this species can raise their abdomens like scorpions to deter predators, though they have no stinger.