Tanbark Borer vs African Soldier Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tanbark Borer | African Soldier Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phymatodes testaceus | Cantharis africana |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Cerambycidae | Cantharidae |
| Size | 8-17 mm | 8-12 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Heathland |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | Europe, North Africa, introduced to North America | Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Tanbark Borer
A small, highly variable cerambycid ranging from pale yellow to dark brown or violet. It breeds under the bark of recently dead oaks across Europe and North America. Adults are nocturnal and come freely to lights.
Did You Know?
Color variation in this species is so extreme that over a dozen color forms have been named, all belonging to one species.
African Soldier Beetle
A soft-bodied soldier beetle from Sub-Saharan Africa with orange-brown elytra and a darker head region. Like other cantharids, it has flexible elytra and is an active predator of small insects on flowers.
Did You Know?
Soldier beetles are important pollinators in their own right, transferring pollen between flowers as they hunt for prey.