Red-bellied Rove Beetle vs Shadow Darner

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red-bellied Rove Beetle Shadow Darner
Scientific Name Tasgius melanarius Aeshna umbrosa
Order Coleoptera Odonata
Family Staphylinidae Aeshnidae
Size 15-20 mm 65-75 mm
Habitat Gardens Forests
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe, introduced to North America and Australia North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Red-bellied Rove Beetle

A large, shiny black rove beetle with a reddish-brown abdominal tip, found in synanthropic habitats across Europe. It is commonly encountered in gardens and urban areas where it hunts at night.

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Did You Know?

This beetle is one of the most synanthropic rove beetles, frequently entering houses and cellars where it is often mistaken for an earwig.

Shadow Darner

A large, dark darner that hunts in shaded forest edges during evening hours. It is widespread across North America in wooded habitats.

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Did You Know?

It is a crepuscular hunter, most active during the dim lighting of dawn and dusk.