Wide-Headed Dung Beetle vs Common Carpet Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Wide-Headed Dung Beetle Common Carpet Moth
Scientific Name Onthophagus nigriventris Epirrhoe alternata
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Geometridae
Size 7-12 mm 22-27 mm wingspan
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Dung Feeders Omnivores
Regions East Africa Europe, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Wide-Headed Dung Beetle

A small, greenish-bronze tunneling dung beetle from East Africa with a very wide head in major males. The broad head is used to block tunnel entrances against rivals. It is common in savanna grasslands.

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Did You Know?

Minor males, which lack the wide head, instead dig sneaky side tunnels to bypass the guarding major male.

Common Carpet Moth

A small moth with distinctive dark and light banded forewings creating a chequered pattern. It is double-brooded and flies from May to September.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the most widespread geometrid moths, found across three continents.