Wahlberg's Velvet Mantis vs Red-Shouldered Ham Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Wahlberg's Velvet Mantis Red-Shouldered Ham Beetle
Scientific Name Ameles decolor Carcinops pumilio
Order Mantodea Coleoptera
Family Mantidae Histeridae
Size 20-30mm 2-3 mm
Habitat Indoors Farmland
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe Worldwide (cosmopolitan)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Wahlberg's Velvet Mantis

A small ground-dwelling mantis from the Mediterranean. Females are wingless and brachypterous while males fly readily.

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Did You Know?

One of the few European mantis species where the female has completely lost the ability to fly.

Red-Shouldered Ham Beetle

A tiny, shiny black hister beetle commonly found in poultry houses where it preys on house fly larvae. It is an important biological control agent in livestock facilities.

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Did You Know?

A single beetle can consume up to 24 house fly eggs per day, making it one of the best natural fly controls in hen houses.