Common Burying Beetle vs European Glowworm

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Burying Beetle European Glowworm
Scientific Name Nicrophorus vespillo Lampyris noctiluca
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Silphidae Lampyridae
Size 12-22 mm 15-25 mm (females); 10-12 mm (males)
Habitat Underground Hedgerows
Diet Carrion Feeders Omnivores
Regions Europe Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Common Burying Beetle

A large orange-and-black beetle that buries small animal carcasses for its larvae. Uses chemical cues to locate corpses from great distances. Shows remarkable parental care with both parents tending larvae.

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Did You Know?

Can bury a dead mouse completely underground in just a few hours by excavating soil from beneath the carcass.

European Glowworm

A well-known European firefly where only the wingless female produces a steady green glow. Males are winged but produce no light.

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Did You Know?

Females glow for up to two hours each night to attract flying males, then stop after mating.