Vacca Dung Beetle vs Mottled Goliath Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Vacca Dung Beetle Mottled Goliath Beetle
Scientific Name Onthophagus vacca Goliathus albosignatus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Scarabaeidae
Size 6-12 mm 45-75 mm
Habitat Grasslands Forests
Diet Dung Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Vacca Dung Beetle

A small coppery-green to bronze tunneler with a broad head and short horns in males. It is a common pasture dung beetle across Europe. The metallic sheen distinguishes it from many congeners.

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Did You Know?

Males with longer horns guard tunnel entrances while hornless males sneak through side tunnels to mate.

Mottled Goliath Beetle

A southern African goliath beetle with white mottled markings on dark brown elytra. It is smaller than its West African relatives.

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Did You Know?

This is the most southerly occurring species in the entire Goliathus genus.