Alder Leaf Beetle vs Neotropical Toe-Biter

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Alder Leaf Beetle Neotropical Toe-Biter
Scientific Name Agelastica alni Belostoma elongatum
Order Coleoptera Hemiptera
Family Chrysomelidae Belostomatidae
Size 6-7 mm 40-55 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Ponds & Lakes
Diet Herbivores Predators
Regions Europe, Western Asia Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Alder Leaf Beetle

A metallic dark violet-blue beetle that feeds on alder trees. Heavy infestations can completely defoliate alder trees along waterways.

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Did You Know?

After being absent from Britain for decades, it dramatically recolonised southern England in the early 2000s.

Neotropical Toe-Biter

A large aquatic predatory bug with flattened body and powerful raptorial forelegs. It is common in South American freshwater habitats.

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Did You Know?

It breathes through a retractable siphon at its rear, hanging just below the water surface like a snorkel.