Common Flat-body vs Saint John'S Wort Beetle

Agonopterix heracliana compared with Chrysolina hyperici

Key Differences

• Common Flat-body is Least Concern while Saint John'S Wort Beetle is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Flat-body	Saint John'S Wort Beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Depressariidae	Chrysomelidae
Genus	Agonopterix	Chrysolina
Species	Agonopterix heracliana	Chrysolina hyperici

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Flat-body and Saint John'S Wort Beetle share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Common Flat-body

LC — Least Concern

Saint John'S Wort Beetle

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Flat-body	Saint John'S Wort Beetle
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.

Saint John'S Wort Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Chile). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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