Common Sun Beetle vs Speckled Tar Spot

Amara aenea compared with Rhytisma punctatum

Key Differences

Common Sun Beetle is Least Concern while Speckled Tar Spot is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Sun Beetle	Speckled Tar Spot
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Leotiomycetes (Leotiomycetes)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Rhytismatales (Rhytismatales)
Family	Carabidae	Rhytismataceae
Genus	Amara	Rhytisma
Species	Amara aenea	Rhytisma punctatum

Conservation Status

Common Sun Beetle

LC — Least Concern

Speckled Tar Spot

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Sun Beetle	Speckled Tar Spot
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).

Speckled Tar Spot

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and 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.