Bethany Beach Firefly vs Blue-eyed Darner

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Bethany Beach Firefly Blue-eyed Darner
Scientific Name Photuris bethaniensis Rhionaeschna multicolor
Order Coleoptera Odonata
Family Lampyridae Aeshnidae
Size 10-14 mm 60-70mm
Habitat Wetlands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Eastern United States North America
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Bethany Beach Firefly

A predatory firefly known from a narrow range along the mid-Atlantic coast. Females mimic the flash patterns of other firefly species to lure and eat the males.

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Did You Know?

By consuming other fireflies, females acquire defensive chemicals called lucibufagins that protect them from predators.

Blue-eyed Darner

A large darner dragonfly with striking bright blue eyes and blue spots on a brown body. It is one of the most common large dragonflies in western North America. It hunts in prolonged patrol flights.

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Did You Know?

Its brilliant blue eyes are among the most vivid in the insect world and can be seen from several meters away.