Coppery Chlaenius vs Tarantula Hawk

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Coppery Chlaenius Tarantula Hawk
Scientific Name Chlaenius cumatilis Pepsis grossa
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Carabidae Pompilidae
Size 12-16 mm 40-65 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Heathland
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Japan, Korea, China, Russian Far East North America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Coppery Chlaenius

A medium-sized ground beetle with brilliant metallic blue-green coloring and fine pubescence covering its elytra. It is found near water in East Asia and is a striking member of its genus.

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Did You Know?

The genus Chlaenius is one of the most diverse among ground beetles, with over 1,000 species worldwide, many of which have brilliant metallic coloring.

Tarantula Hawk

A giant wasp that hunts tarantulas. The female paralyzes a tarantula with her sting, drags it to a burrow, and lays an egg on it — the larva eats the spider alive.

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Did You Know?

The tarantula hawk has the second most painful sting of any insect — but the pain lasts only about 5 minutes. Scientists recommend just lying down and screaming.