Click Beetle vs Owlfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Click Beetle | Owlfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Alaus oculatus | Libelloides coccajus |
| Order | Coleoptera | Neuroptera |
| Family | Elateridae | Ascalaphidae |
| Size | 25-45 mm | 25-30 mm body, 50 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Underground | Meadows |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | North America | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Click Beetle
Has a special mechanism that allows it to snap its body with a click, launching itself up to 30 cm into the air. The large eyespots on its thorax startle predators.
Did You Know?
Click beetles launch themselves into the air without using their legs — they use a peg-and-groove mechanism on their thorax that releases like a spring, reaching accelerations of 400g.
Owlfly
Dragonfly-like neuropterans with large eyes and clubbed antennae. Fast aerial predators that catch prey in flight. Often found in Mediterranean meadows at dusk.
Did You Know?
Owlflies look like a hybrid between a dragonfly and a butterfly — they have large dragonfly-like eyes with striking clubbed antennae found nowhere else in the insect world.