Alpine Ground Beetle vs Hawaiian Carnivorous Caterpillar

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Alpine Ground Beetle	Hawaiian Carnivorous Caterpillar
Scientific Name	Nebria germari	Eupithecia staurophragma
Order	Coleoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Carabidae	Geometridae
Size	10-14 mm	20-25 mm wingspan
Habitat	Mountains	Forests
Diet	Predators	Predators
Regions	Central Europe, Alps	Hawaii
Conservation	Least Concern	Not Evaluated

Alpine Ground Beetle

A dark, robust ground beetle found on alpine scree slopes and glacier margins. It hunts small invertebrates among loose rocks above the treeline.

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This beetle can survive freezing temperatures by producing antifreeze proteins in its body fluids.

A remarkable moth whose caterpillars are ambush predators of insects, unique among Lepidoptera. Found only in Hawaiian native forests.

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These are among the only caterpillars in the world that actively hunt and eat other insects.