Dark Rove Beetle vs Cabbage Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dark Rove Beetle Cabbage Moth
Scientific Name Tachyporus nitidulus Mamestra brassicae
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Staphylinidae Noctuidae
Size 3-4 mm Wingspan 34-50mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Predators Herbivores
Regions Europe, Siberia Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dark Rove Beetle

A small, shiny dark brown rove beetle with a characteristic boat-shaped body. It is incredibly numerous in northern European farmland, where it is considered a key beneficial predator.

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Did You Know?

Pitfall trap studies have shown this to be one of the three most abundant beetle species in British agricultural landscapes.

Cabbage Moth

A mottled grey-brown moth with kidney-shaped and circular stigmata on the forewings. Its caterpillar is a serious pest of brassica crops worldwide.

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Did You Know?

A single caterpillar can bore deep into a cabbage head contaminating it with frass and making it unmarketable.