Colorado Soldier Beetle vs Peacock Butterfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Colorado Soldier Beetle Peacock Butterfly
Scientific Name Chauliognathus basalis Aglais io
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Cantharidae Nymphalidae
Size 8-12mm 50-55 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions North America Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Colorado Soldier Beetle

A soft-bodied beetle with orange and brown elytra commonly found on flowers. It is an important pollinator and predator of small insects.

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Did You Know?

Soldier beetles produce toxic compounds called cantharidins in their blood that make them unpalatable to predators.

Peacock Butterfly

Reddish-brown wings with four large blue and yellow eyespots resembling peacock feathers. Undersides are nearly black, providing camouflage when at rest.

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Did You Know?

When threatened, it rapidly opens its wings to flash its eyespots while making a hissing sound.