Checkered Beetle vs Holly Blue

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Checkered Beetle Holly Blue
Scientific Name Trichodes apiarius Celastrina argiolus
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Cleridae Lycaenidae
Size 9-16 mm 26-34 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Parasites Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, North Africa Europe, North Africa, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Checkered Beetle

A brightly colored red and blue beetle often found on flowers. Its larvae are parasites of solitary bee nests.

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Did You Know?

Females lay eggs near bee nests so larvae can invade and consume the bee brood.

Holly Blue

Pale silvery-blue butterfly with small black dots on the underside. Alternates between holly and ivy as host plants between spring and summer broods.

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Did You Know?

Population numbers cycle dramatically every few years due to a parasitic wasp that tracks its abundance.