Balearic Green Lizard Beetle vs Giant Bess Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Balearic Green Lizard Beetle Giant Bess Beetle
Scientific Name Timarcha balearica Passalus punctiger
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Passalidae
Size 10-18 mm 35-50 mm
Habitat Heathland Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Wood Feeders
Regions Balearic Islands South America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Balearic Green Lizard Beetle

A large flightless leaf beetle endemic to the Balearic Islands. It is black with a bluish-purple sheen and exudes red hemolymph when disturbed.

💡

Did You Know?

When handled, it bleeds red fluid from its leg joints in a defensive behavior called reflex bleeding.

Giant Bess Beetle

A very large, robust bess beetle with a glossy black exoskeleton and strong mandibles. It creates extensive tunnel systems in large fallen trees. Multiple generations may coexist within a single log.

💡

Did You Know?

Larvae pupate in protective cases made from frass that parents help construct.