Ridged Water Scavenger Beetle vs Selika Dropwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ridged Water Scavenger Beetle Selika Dropwing
Scientific Name Helochares obscurus Trithemis selika
Order Coleoptera Odonata
Family Hydrophilidae Libellulidae
Size 4-6 mm 35-45 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Ponds & Lakes
Diet Detritivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, North Africa Madagascar
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ridged Water Scavenger Beetle

A small brown water beetle found in well-vegetated ponds across Europe. Females carry their egg sacs beneath the body until the larvae hatch.

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Did You Know?

The female carries her egg case attached to the underside of her body, a rare form of parental care in beetles.

Selika Dropwing

A robust dragonfly with crimson to dark red coloration in mature males and brown in females. It perches conspicuously on waterside vegetation with wings held forward.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the most commonly seen dragonflies in Madagascar, even found in urban parks and garden ponds in Antananarivo.