Mediterranean Firefly vs Spanish Copris

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mediterranean Firefly Spanish Copris
Scientific Name Luciola italica Copris hispanus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Lampyridae Scarabaeidae
Size 7-10 mm 18-27mm
Habitat Heathland Farmland
Diet Omnivores Dung Feeders
Regions Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Near Threatened

Mediterranean Firefly

A common Southern European firefly that flies through warm summer nights producing a continuous greenish glow. It is widespread in Italy and the Mediterranean basin.

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Did You Know?

Italian poets and painters have depicted this firefly for centuries, and it remains a beloved symbol of warm summer nights in the Mediterranean.

Spanish Copris

A large shiny black dung beetle with a single curved horn on the males head. It constructs elaborate underground brood chambers beneath dung pats.

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Did You Know?

Both parents cooperate to sculpt perfectly round dung balls in underground chambers and guard them until the larvae pupate.