Puritan Tiger Beetle vs Giant Darner Dragonfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Puritan Tiger Beetle Giant Darner Dragonfly
Scientific Name Cicindela puritana Tetracanthagyna plagiata
Order Coleoptera Odonata
Family Cicindelidae Aeshnidae
Size 11-14mm 100-115 mm body, 160 mm wingspan
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Ponds & Lakes
Diet Predators Predators
Regions North America Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand, Indonesia)
Conservation Endangered Least Concern

Puritan Tiger Beetle

A bronze-green tiger beetle with white markings found only on sandy riverbanks and beaches. It is one of the rarest insects in North America.

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Did You Know?

It exists in only two known populations in Massachusetts and Connecticut making it a focus of intense conservation efforts.

Giant Darner Dragonfly

One of the largest dragonflies in the world, with a wingspan exceeding 16 cm. The body is brown with green markings and the wings are tinted amber. It is a powerful crepuscular hunter.

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Did You Know?

It hunts at dusk and dawn when most dragonflies are inactive, using its enormous eyes optimized for low-light vision.