Twenty-Two Spot Ladybird vs African Soldier Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Twenty-Two Spot Ladybird | African Soldier Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata | Cantharis africana |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Coccinellidae | Cantharidae |
| Size | 3-4 mm | 8-12 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Heathland |
| Diet | Fungus Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | Europe | Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Twenty-Two Spot Ladybird
A tiny bright yellow ladybird with exactly 22 black spots, widespread across Europe. Unlike most ladybirds, it feeds on mildew rather than insects.
Did You Know?
It is one of the few ladybirds that is entirely mycophagous, feeding exclusively on fungal growth.
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.