Iberian Glow-Worm vs Ant Damsel Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Iberian Glow-Worm Ant Damsel Bug
Scientific Name Lampyris iberica Himacerus mirmicoides
Order Coleoptera Hemiptera
Family Lampyridae Nabidae
Size 12-20 mm 7-8 mm
Habitat Woodlands Gardens
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Iberian Glow-Worm

A glow-worm firefly found in Spain and Portugal with wingless, luminous females. It inhabits Mediterranean scrublands and open woodlands.

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Did You Know?

Female glow-worms can control the intensity of their glow and will extinguish their light immediately if disturbed by a predator.

Ant Damsel Bug

A slender brown predatory bug whose nymphs remarkably mimic ants for protection from predators. Adults lose the ant-like appearance and become typical damsel bugs. It is a beneficial predator in European gardens and fields.

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Did You Know?

The young nymphs are such convincing ant mimics that they even walk with a jerky, ant-like gait, fooling both predators and entomologists at first glance.