Two-Spotted Hister Beetle vs Sand Robber Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Two-Spotted Hister Beetle Sand Robber Fly
Scientific Name Hister bipustulatus Philonicus albiceps
Order Coleoptera Diptera
Family Histeridae Asilidae
Size 4-6 mm 12-18 mm
Habitat Farmland Beaches & Coastal
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe, Western Asia Europe, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Two-Spotted Hister Beetle

A small, globular black beetle with two red-orange spots on its truncated elytra. It is commonly found in dung where it hunts fly larvae.

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Did You Know?

Its truncated wing cases leave the last two abdominal segments permanently exposed, a characteristic shared by all histerids.

Sand Robber Fly

A pale sandy-colored robber fly found on coastal dunes and sandy heaths. It hunts other flies and small insects on open sand.

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Did You Know?

Its pale coloration provides perfect camouflage against the sandy substrates where it hunts.