Arctic Click Beetle vs Blue Paederine Rove Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Click Beetle | Blue Paederine Rove Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hypnoidus riparius | Paederus balcanicus |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Elateridae | Staphylinidae |
| Size | 4-7 mm | 7-9 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Herbivores | Predators |
| Regions | Scandinavia, Iceland, Scotland, northern Russia, Arctic Canada | Balkans, Turkey, Middle East |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Arctic Click Beetle
A small, brown click beetle with a distinctive snapping mechanism that allows it to flip itself upright when overturned. Larvae are wireworms that live in tundra soil. Adults are found under stones and in low vegetation.
Did You Know?
When flipped on its back, this beetle arches its body and snaps a spine on its thorax into a groove, launching itself into the air with an audible click.
Blue Paederine Rove Beetle
A colorful Paederus rove beetle with metallic blue elytra and an orange thorax, found in southeastern Europe. Like all Paederus, it contains the blistering agent pederin in its body fluids.
Did You Know?
In Turkey and the Middle East, outbreaks of this species near villages can cause hundreds of dermatitis cases in a single season.