Petaltail Dragonfly vs Common Aleocharine
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Petaltail Dragonfly | Common Aleocharine |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tachopteryx thoreyi | Atheta coriaria |
| Order | Odonata | Coleoptera |
| Family | Petaluridae | Staphylinidae |
| Size | 70-80 mm | 3-4 mm |
| Habitat | Indoors | Underground |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | North America | Holarctic, now distributed globally through commercial biocontrol |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Petaltail Dragonfly
A primitive dragonfly that perches on tree trunks and has bog-dwelling larvae.
Did You Know?
It belongs to one of the most ancient dragonfly families, largely unchanged for 150 million years.
Common Aleocharine
A tiny, dark brown aleocharine rove beetle now commercially sold as a biological control agent. It is an aggressive predator of fungus gnat larvae, thrips, and shore fly larvae in greenhouses.
Did You Know?
This beetle is sold commercially by biocontrol companies and released by the thousands in greenhouses to control fungus gnats organically.