Tumblebug Beetle vs Japanese Leaf Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tumblebug Beetle Japanese Leaf Beetle
Scientific Name Canthon vigilans Lilioceris merdigera
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Chrysomelidae
Size 8-14 mm 6-7 mm
Habitat Grasslands Underground
Diet Carrion Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tumblebug Beetle

A small dung beetle that buries carrion as well as dung for its larvae.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most dung beetles it frequently uses dead invertebrates as larval food.

Japanese Leaf Beetle

A small, bright red beetle similar in appearance to the scarlet lily beetle but with red legs instead of black. It is commonly called the onion leaf beetle in Europe.

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Did You Know?

Its species name 'merdigera' means 'dung-bearer,' referring to the larval behavior of covering themselves in their own excrement.