Coppery Chlaenius vs Western Cicada Killer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Coppery Chlaenius Western Cicada Killer
Scientific Name Chlaenius cumatilis Sphecius grandis
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Carabidae Crabronidae
Size 12-16 mm 30-55 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Deserts & Drylands
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Japan, Korea, China, Russian Far East Western United States from the Great Plains to the Pacific coast
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.

Western Cicada Killer

A massive solitary wasp of the American West that hunts cicadas to provision its underground burrows. It is slightly larger and paler than its eastern relative.

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Did You Know?

Despite its intimidating size, it is generally docile toward humans and males cannot sting at all.