Variegated Flower Beetle vs Small Australian Tunneler

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Variegated Flower Beetle Small Australian Tunneler
Scientific Name Gnorimus variabilis Onthophagus parvus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Scarabaeidae
Size 15-20 mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Parks Woodlands
Diet Pollen Feeders Dung Feeders
Regions Europe Australia
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Variegated Flower Beetle

A dark brown or black beetle with variable yellow-white spots on the elytra. It is extremely rare and tied to ancient hollow trees.

💡

Did You Know?

It is so rare in Britain that it has been found at only a handful of sites in its entire recorded history.

Small Australian Tunneler

A tiny, brown tunneling dung beetle native to Australia. It is one of the few native Australian species adapted to process the dry, pellet-like dung of marsupials. Found in eucalyptus woodland across the continent.

💡

Did You Know?

Native Australian dung beetles evolved with marsupial pellet dung and were ill-equipped to handle the wet dung of introduced cattle.