Tooth-Necked Fungus Beetle vs Vegetable Caterpillar
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tooth-Necked Fungus Beetle | Vegetable Caterpillar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bolitotherus cornutus | Ophiocordyceps robertsii |
| Order | Coleoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Tenebrionidae | Hepialidae |
| Size | 10-12 mm | 50-100 mm (caterpillar plus fungal stalk) |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Underground |
| Diet | Fungus Feeders | Fungus Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Oceania (New Zealand) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Tooth-Necked Fungus Beetle
A heavily armored, warty brown beetle that feeds on shelf fungi on dead trees. Males have two prominent horns on the thorax.
Did You Know?
It plays dead so convincingly that it is nearly impossible to distinguish from a piece of bark.
Vegetable Caterpillar
The host of this relationship is the caterpillar of the native moth Aenetus virescens, parasitized by the endemic Cordyceps fungus. The fungus invades and mummifies the caterpillar underground, then sends a fruiting body to the surface. It was known to Maori as awhato.
Did You Know?
Maori prized the vegetable caterpillar as a pigment source, grinding the fungus-caterpillar combination to produce a blue-black tattoo ink.