Red-Headed Cardinal Beetle vs Azure Damselfly of Azores

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red-Headed Cardinal Beetle Azure Damselfly of Azores
Scientific Name Pyrochroa serraticornis Ischnura hastata
Order Coleoptera Odonata
Family Pyrochroidae Coenagrionidae
Size 14-20 mm 2.5-3 cm
Habitat Hedgerows Ponds & Lakes
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe Portugal
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Red-Headed Cardinal Beetle

A vivid red beetle with serrated antennae found on flowers and under bark. Larvae are predatory and live beneath the bark of dead trees.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most beetles, the bright red color is not a warning of toxicity but may mimic toxic species.

Azure Damselfly of Azores

On the Azores, this species has evolved the only known all-female population of any odonate. These females reproduce through parthenogenesis.

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Did You Know?

The Azores population is entirely female and reproduces without mating, a phenomenon unique among dragonflies and damselflies.