Square-spot Rustic vs Mealworm Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Square-spot Rustic Mealworm Beetle
Scientific Name Xestia xanthographa Tenebrio molitor
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Noctuidae Tenebrionidae
Size 32-38 mm wingspan 12-18 mm
Habitat Gardens Gardens
Diet Root Feeders Seed Feeders
Regions Europe Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

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.

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Did You Know?

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

Mealworm Beetle

A dull black-brown darkling beetle best known for its larval form, the mealworm. It is commercially raised worldwide as animal feed.

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Did You Know?

Mealworms can digest polystyrene foam, offering a potential solution for plastic waste.