Humpbacked Mite-hunter vs European Large Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Humpbacked Mite-hunter European Large Firefly
Scientific Name Scydmaenus hellwigii Lamprohiza splendidula
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Staphylinidae Lampyridae
Size 1-1.5 mm 8-12 mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Detritivores Predators
Regions Europe, Western Asia Central Europe, Northern Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Humpbacked Mite-hunter

A diminutive scydmaenine rove beetle with a distinctly humped profile and long, clubbed antennae. It specializes in hunting oribatid mites in the micro-habitats of forest floor detritus.

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Did You Know?

To overcome the mite's armor, this beetle first gnaws a small hole in the mite's exoskeleton, then inserts its mandibles to extract the soft tissues inside.

European Large Firefly

A central European firefly whose males produce a continuous greenish glow while flying. Its predatory larvae spend up to three years feeding on snails in woodland soils.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most European glowworms both males and females of this species are bioluminescent.