Railroad Worm vs Tan Spotted Sedge
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Railroad Worm | Tan Spotted Sedge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phrixothrix hirtus | Hydropsyche instabilis |
| Order | Coleoptera | Trichoptera |
| Family | Phengodidae | Hydropsychidae |
| Size | 30-65 mm (larvae) | 11-15 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | South America | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Railroad Worm
A beetle larva with 11 pairs of green-glowing lateral organs and a red-glowing headlamp — the only land animal that produces two different colors of bioluminescence simultaneously.
Did You Know?
The railroad worm is the only terrestrial animal that glows in two colors at once — green along its sides like railway car windows and red on its head like a locomotive.
Tan Spotted Sedge
A medium-sized caddisfly whose larvae construct net retreats in fast-flowing upland streams. Adults are tan with spotted wings.
Did You Know?
Larvae aggressively defend their net territories from neighboring caddisflies.