Violet Longhorn vs Dung-loving Rove Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Violet Longhorn | Dung-loving Rove Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Callidium violaceum | Philonthus marginatus |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Cerambycidae | Staphylinidae |
| Size | 8-16 mm | 8-12 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Gardens |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Dung Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, North America, Siberia | Europe, North Africa, introduced to Australasia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Violet Longhorn
A compact, flat cerambycid with a striking metallic violet coloration across its entire body. Widespread in conifer forests of the Northern Hemisphere, it breeds in dry dead conifer wood. Adults are occasionally found in houses after emerging from firewood.
Did You Know?
Larvae can survive in kiln-dried timber and have emerged from furniture and log cabin walls years after construction.
Dung-loving Rove Beetle
A medium-sized, shiny black rove beetle with distinctly margined elytra found commonly in dung and compost. It is one of the most frequently encountered Philonthus species in pastoral landscapes.
Did You Know?
This beetle has been introduced to New Zealand as a biological control agent against pastoral dung flies.