Cuban Laurel Thrips vs Spring Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cuban Laurel Thrips Spring Firefly
Scientific Name Gynaikothrips ficorum Photinus ardens
Order Thysanoptera Coleoptera
Family Phlaeothripidae Lampyridae
Size 2.5-3.0 mm 5-8 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Predators
Regions Asia, North America, South America, Oceania North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Cuban Laurel Thrips

A large dark thrips that causes leaf rolling on Ficus species. Colonies live inside the rolled leaves they create.

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Did You Know?

Entire colonies of hundreds of individuals live communally inside a single rolled fig leaf.

Spring Firefly

A small early-season firefly of the eastern United States with a distinctive fast double-pulse flash pattern. It has a dark body with a pinkish-red pronotum and is among the first fireflies to appear each year.

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Did You Know?

This species often begins flashing earlier in the evening than most other North American fireflies.