Jewel Scarab vs Reed Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Jewel Scarab Reed Beetle
Scientific Name Chrysina resplendens Donacia crassipes
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Chrysomelidae
Size 25-35 mm 9-12 mm
Habitat Forests Ponds & Lakes
Diet Wood Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Costa Rica, Panama Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Jewel Scarab

A beetle that appears to be made of polished gold, found in cloud forests of Central America. Its reflective shell is composed of chiral nanostructures.

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Did You Know?

Its shell reflects circularly polarized light, a property almost unique in the animal kingdom.

Reed Beetle

A striking aquatic leaf beetle with metallic golden-green to coppery elytra and elongated hind legs. It is one of the largest European Donacia species, found on waterlily pads.

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Did You Know?

Larvae live entirely underwater, tapping into plant roots for both food and oxygen, using specialized spiracles to breathe air from root aerenchyma.