Lord Howe Island Beetle vs Downy Leatherwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Lord Howe Island Beetle Downy Leatherwing
Scientific Name Anoplognathus macleayi Podabrus tomentosus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Cantharidae
Size 2-3 cm 9-12 mm
Habitat Forests Rivers & Streams
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Australia North America
Conservation Critically Endangered Least Concern

Lord Howe Island Beetle

A scarab beetle endemic to Lord Howe Island with metallic green coloring. It has suffered severe decline due to introduced rats.

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Did You Know?

This beetle was once so abundant it was considered a pest but is now extremely rare after rat introduction in 1918.

Downy Leatherwing

A North American soldier beetle covered in fine pubescence, found on flowers and foliage in summer. It is an effective predator of aphids and other small insects.

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Did You Know?

Its larvae are active predators in leaf litter and can even survive brief periods of freezing temperatures.