Sylvicola Tunneler vs Large Violet Click Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sylvicola Tunneler Large Violet Click Beetle
Scientific Name Ontherus sulcator Limoniscus violaceus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Elateridae
Size 12-18 mm 9-12 mm
Habitat Grasslands Parks
Diet Dung Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions South America Europe
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Sylvicola Tunneler

A medium-sized, black tunneling dung beetle with deep longitudinal furrows on the elytra. Males have a short, broad cephalic horn. It is common in South American pastures and is an important dung recycler in cattle-farming regions.

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Did You Know?

This species thrives in disturbed agricultural landscapes, unlike many dung beetles that require intact forest.

Large Violet Click Beetle

A rare and distinctive click beetle with a dark violet-black body and fine pubescence. It develops in the decaying heartwood of ancient hollow trees, particularly beech and ash.

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Did You Know?

It is one of Europe's rarest beetles and is listed under the EU Habitats Directive, with known populations at only a handful of sites.