Lily Beetle vs Ant Strepsipteran
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Lily Beetle | Ant Strepsipteran |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lilioceris lilii | Myrmecolax incautus |
| Order | Coleoptera | Strepsiptera |
| Family | Chrysomelidae | Myrmecolacidae |
| Size | 6-8 mm | 2-4 mm (males) |
| Habitat | Underground | Underground |
| Diet | Herbivores | Parasites |
| Regions | Europe, Asia; invasive in North America | South America, Neotropics |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Data Deficient |
Lily Beetle
A bright scarlet beetle that is a destructive pest of lilies and fritillaries. Larvae camouflage themselves by covering their bodies with their own excrement.
Did You Know?
When picked up, adults squeak by rubbing body parts together in a behavior called stridulation.
Ant Strepsipteran
A remarkable strepsipteran that parasitizes ants. Males parasitize ants while females parasitize crickets or grasshoppers, a unique life history involving two different host orders.
Did You Know?
The two sexes parasitize hosts from completely different insect orders, a phenomenon found nowhere else in the animal kingdom.