Anna's Eighty-Eight vs Long-Toed Water Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Anna's Eighty-Eight Long-Toed Water Beetle
Scientific Name Diaethria anna Stenelmis crenata
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Nymphalidae Elmidae
Size 30-40 mm wingspan 2-3.5 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Rivers & Streams
Diet Sap Feeders Omnivores
Regions Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Anna's Eighty-Eight

A small neotropical butterfly with bright blue-green upper wings and a striking black-and-white numeral pattern underneath. It is closely related to Cramer's eighty-eight.

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Did You Know?

Despite being named for the number pattern, many individuals actually display patterns closer to '89' than '88.'

Long-Toed Water Beetle

A small riffle beetle with elongated tarsal claws for gripping rocks in fast currents. Both adults and larvae are entirely aquatic.

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Did You Know?

Adults can live for several years underwater, far longer than most beetles.