Square-spot Rustic vs Hildebrand's Jewel Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Square-spot Rustic Hildebrand's Jewel Beetle
Scientific Name Xestia xanthographa Sternocera hildebrandti
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Noctuidae Buprestidae
Size 32-38 mm wingspan 30-50 mm
Habitat Gardens Deserts & Drylands
Diet Root Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Europe East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Square-spot Rustic

An extremely common autumn-flying moth with a diagnostic square stigma on the forewing. One of the most abundant moths in British gardens. Larvae feed on grasses.

💡

Did You Know?

Often the single most abundant moth species in garden moth traps during September.

Hildebrand's Jewel Beetle

A large, robust jewel beetle with a deep metallic green body covered in fine punctures. It emerges in large numbers after seasonal rains in semi-arid areas.

💡

Did You Know?

Its metallic coloration is so vivid that dead specimens retain their brilliance for decades, making them prized by collectors.