Green Lacewing Firefly vs Dinosaur Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Green Lacewing Firefly | Dinosaur Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Photinus scintillans | Nothomyrmecia macrops |
| Order | Coleoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Lampyridae | Formicidae |
| Size | 5-8 mm | 10-15 mm |
| Habitat | Grasslands | Woodlands |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | North America | Oceania |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
Green Lacewing Firefly
A small firefly with a bright green flash and a dark body with yellowish pronotal borders. Males produce a brief twinkling flash while flying low over grasslands and meadows.
Did You Know?
The word scintillans means sparkling, referring to the brief twinkling quality of this species' distinctive flash.
Dinosaur Ant
Considered the most primitive living ant, often called a living fossil. Discovered in 1931 and then lost for 46 years until rediscovered in 1977 in South Australia.
Did You Know?
This ant was lost to science for 46 years after its discovery — rediscovered by pure luck when an entomologist pulled over to sleep at the roadside where they happened to live.