Black Burying Beetle vs German Scorpionfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Black Burying Beetle German Scorpionfly
Scientific Name Nicrophorus humator Panorpa germanica
Order Coleoptera Mecoptera
Family Silphidae Panorpidae
Size 18-26mm 12-16 mm
Habitat Hedgerows Woodlands
Diet Carrion Feeders Carrion Feeders
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Black Burying Beetle

A large all-black burying beetle with orange-tipped antennae. It buries animal carcasses for its larvae.

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Did You Know?

One of the largest burying beetles in Europe and can inter a mouse-sized carcass in just a few hours.

German Scorpionfly

A scorpionfly with bold wing markings found in shaded woodland habitats across central Europe. Like other Panorpa species, it has a distinctive elongated face.

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Did You Know?

German scorpionflies frequently steal prey from spider webs, delicately plucking trapped insects without becoming ensnared themselves.