Three-punctured Ground Beetle vs Wide-Horned Scarab

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Three-punctured Ground Beetle Wide-Horned Scarab
Scientific Name Harpalus affinis Euoniticellus intermedius
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Carabidae Scarabaeidae
Size 9-12 mm 6-10 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Seed Feeders Dung Feeders
Regions Europe, western Asia Africa, introduced to Australia, North America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Three-punctured Ground Beetle

A common medium-sized metallic green or bronze ground beetle with distinctive punctures on its elytra. It is abundant in agricultural fields across Europe and important for weed seed consumption.

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Did You Know?

It has been observed carrying seeds back to its burrow to eat, behavior more commonly associated with ants than beetles, and may help disperse some plant species.

Wide-Horned Scarab

A small, yellow-brown tunneling dung beetle with dark markings on the pronotum. Males have two short broad horns. It is one of the most successful introduced dung beetles in Australia and the Americas.

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Did You Know?

Since its introduction, this small beetle has saved Australian ranchers millions of dollars by rapidly burying cattle dung.