Common Sun Beetle vs Emerald Ash Borer

Amara aenea compared with Agrilus planipennis

Key Differences

• Common Sun Beetle is Least Concern while Emerald Ash Borer is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Sun Beetle	Emerald Ash Borer
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	Carabidae	Buprestidae
Genus	Amara	Agrilus
Species	Amara aenea	Agrilus planipennis

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Sun Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer share a common ancestor at the Order level: Coleoptera. (Beetles)

Conservation Status

Common Sun Beetle

LC — Least Concern

Emerald Ash Borer

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Sun Beetle	Emerald Ash Borer
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic 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).

Emerald Ash Borer

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (4 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

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 5 countries:

🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States