Common Flat-body vs European Bee-eater

Agonopterix heracliana compared with Merops apiaster

Key Differences

• Common Flat-body is Least Concern while European Bee-eater is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Flat-body	European Bee-eater
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Coraciiformes (Coraciiformes)
Family	Depressariidae	Meropidae
Genus	Agonopterix	Merops
Species	Agonopterix heracliana	Merops apiaster

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Flat-body and European Bee-eater share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Flat-body

LC — Least Concern

European Bee-eater

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Flat-body	European Bee-eater
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Flat-body

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

European Bee-eater

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries).

Common Flat-body

<em>Agonopterix heracliana</em> is a moth belonging to the family Depressariidae within the order Lepidoptera. Commonly known as the common flat-body, this species is named for the flattened resting posture characteristic of the genus Agonopterix. The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with no indication of significant population decline. <em>Agonopterix heracliana</em> is distributed across northwestern Europe, with documented occurrences in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Larvae of this species are typically associated with plants in the family Apiaceae, particularly hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) and related umbellifers, upon which they feed while sheltering in rolled or folded leaves. Adults are typically brownish with subtle markings and are active from late summer through winter and early spring, overwintering as adults — an unusual life history trait among moths. The species inhabits hedgerows, woodland margins, and meadows where its host plants are abundant. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

European Bee-eater

European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is classified as Not Evaluated (NE) on the IUCN Red List. Not yet evaluated against IUCN Red List criteria. Conservation status remains to be determined.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden