Mexican Firefly vs Northern Two-striped Walkingstick

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mexican Firefly Northern Two-striped Walkingstick
Scientific Name Photinus mexicanus Anisomorpha ferruginea
Order Coleoptera Phasmatodea
Family Lampyridae Pseudophasmatidae
Size 8-12 mm 4-6 cm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Predators Wood Feeders
Regions North America, Central America, Mexico United States (South-central)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Mexican Firefly

A medium-sized firefly from Mexico and Central America with a dark body and yellowish-red pronotum. It produces a yellow-green flash in subtropical and tropical habitats.

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Did You Know?

The firefly spectacle at Nanacamilpa in Tlaxcala, Mexico, where millions synchronize their flashes, involves closely related Photinus species.

Northern Two-striped Walkingstick

A tan to brown walkingstick found in the south-central United States. It is sometimes called the 'musk mare' for its chemical spray.

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Did You Know?

Like its southern relative, it sprays a milky, irritating chemical called anisomorphal at predators.