Large Red Damselfly vs East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Large Red Damselfly	East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier
Scientific Name	Pyrrhosoma nymphula	Pheropsophus jessoensis
Order	Odonata	Coleoptera
Family	Coenagrionidae	Carabidae
Size	33-36 mm wingspan	15-25 mm
Habitat	Gardens	Farmland
Diet	Predators	Predators
Regions	Europe	Japan, Korea, eastern China, Russian Far East
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Large Red Damselfly

One of the first damselflies to emerge each spring in Europe, with a distinctive bright red body and black legs. It is commonly found at garden ponds.

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Did You Know?

Large red damselflies are among the earliest odonates to emerge in spring, often appearing as early as April when few other species are flying.

East Asian Pheropsophus Bombardier

A large Asian bombardier beetle with an orange head and pronotum and dark blue-black elytra. It is the largest bombardier beetle in Japan and produces powerful chemical sprays.

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Did You Know?

It can spray its boiling chemical defense up to 20 centimeters with a popping sound audible from several meters away, and can fire repeatedly up to 20 times before depleting its reserves.