East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier vs Eyed Hawk-moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier Eyed Hawk-moth
Scientific Name Pheropsophus jessoensis Smerinthus ocellatus
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Carabidae Sphingidae
Size 15-25 mm 70-95 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Rivers & Streams
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Japan, Korea, eastern China, Russian Far East Europe, temperate Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier

A large Asian bombardier beetle with an orange head and pronotum and dark blue-black elytra. It is the largest bombardier beetle in Japan and produces powerful chemical sprays.

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Did You Know?

It can spray its boiling chemical defense up to 20 centimeters with a popping sound audible from several meters away, and can fire repeatedly up to 20 times before depleting its reserves.

Eyed Hawk-moth

A large hawk-moth with cryptic brown forewings that conceal vivid blue and black eyespots on the hindwings. When startled, it flashes its eyespots to frighten predators.

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Did You Know?

The flash of its eyespots has been shown experimentally to startle birds into abandoning their attack.