Fire Beetle vs Central American Glowworm Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Fire Beetle Central American Glowworm Beetle
Scientific Name Pyrophorus divergens Phengodes hidalgoensis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Elateridae Phengodidae
Size 20-30 mm 10-15 mm
Habitat Forests Mountains
Diet Wood Feeders Predators
Regions Central America, South America North America, Mexico
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Fire Beetle

A bioluminescent click beetle from Central American forests. Its glowing thoracic spots are visible from several meters away in total darkness.

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Did You Know?

Spanish conquistadors reported seeing forests glowing with thousands of these beetles and initially thought they were supernatural phenomena.

Central American Glowworm Beetle

A Mexican glowworm beetle with males possessing large feathery antennae and short elytra. The larviform females produce greenish-yellow bioluminescence from lateral light organs.

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Did You Know?

Phengodidae are found only in the New World, from southern Canada to South America, making them a uniquely American family.