Adonis' Ladybird vs Common Sun Beetle

Hippodamia variegata compared with Amara aenea

Key Differences

• Adonis' Ladybird is Endangered while Common Sun Beetle is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Adonis' Ladybird	Common Sun Beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order same	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Coccinellidae	Carabidae
Genus	Hippodamia	Amara
Species	Hippodamia variegata	Amara aenea

Evolutionary Relationship

Adonis' Ladybird and Common Sun Beetle share a common ancestor at the Order level: Coleoptera. (Beetles)

Conservation Status

Adonis' Ladybird

EN — Endangered

Common Sun Beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Adonis' Ladybird	Common Sun Beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Adonis' Ladybird

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Europe (5 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Chile). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Sun Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Adonis' Ladybird

The Adonis' Ladybird (Hippodamia variegata) is a species in the genus Hippodamia. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic r.

Common Sun Beetle

<em>Amara aenea</em>, the common sun beetle, is a carabid ground beetle in the family Carabidae, order Coleoptera. It is broadly distributed across Europe and has been introduced to North America, typically inhabiting open, sunny habitats such as arable fields, grasslands, sandy heathlands, and disturbed ground with sparse vegetation. Adults are omnivorous, feeding on seeds, small invertebrates, and plant material, and are considered important predators of weed seeds in agricultural systems. <em>Amara aenea</em> is surface-active during warm, dry conditions, typically exhibiting peak activity in late spring and summer. Like many carabid beetles, it is nocturnal and shelters under stones and debris during the day. Larvae develop in the soil, where they also feed on organic matter and small invertebrates. Biological traits including precise adult lifespan, body length measurements, and detailed prey preferences remain poorly documented at the species level. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its wide distribution, high adaptability to disturbed environments, and no significant known threats to global population status.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States