Common Sun Beetle vs small tortoiseshell

Amara aenea compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Common Sun Beetle is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Sun Beetle	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (동물)	Animalia (동물)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (절지동물)	Arthropoda (절지동물)
Class same	Insecta (곤충)	Insecta (곤충)
Order	Coleoptera (딱정벌레목)	Lepidoptera (나비목)
Family	Carabidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Amara	Aglais
Species	Amara aenea	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Sun Beetle and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (곤충)

Conservation Status

Common Sun Beetle

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Sun Beetle	small tortoiseshell
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).

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

small tortoiseshell

작은 거북등 나비(Aglais urticae)는 IUCN 적색 목록에서 준위협(NT) 종으로 분류된다. 위협 종으로 분류되기 직전 단계로, 보전 조치 없이는 취약 종이 될 수 있는 개체군이다.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇪🇸 Spain 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇨🇭 Switzerland