Elm Leafminer vs Featherwing Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Elm Leafminer | Featherwing Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fenusa ulmi | Scydosella musawasensis |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Tenthredinidae | Ptiliidae |
| Size | 2.5-4 mm (adult) | 0.325 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Fungus Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, North America | Central America |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Elm Leafminer
A sawfly whose larvae mine between the upper and lower surfaces of elm leaves. Mines appear as blotchy brown patches on foliage.
Did You Know?
Each larva creates a single blotch mine that can expand to cover half the leaf.
Featherwing Beetle
The smallest known free-living (non-parasitic) insect at just 0.325 mm long. Discovered in Nicaragua in 1999, it feeds on spores of basidiomycete fungi in rotting wood.
Did You Know?
At 0.325 mm, this beetle is about the width of the period at the end of this sentence — yet it is a fully functional adult insect with complete organ systems.