Ruddy Darter vs Eastern Bat Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Ruddy Darter Eastern Bat Bug
Scientific Name Sympetrum sanguineum Cimex adjunctus
Order Odonata Hemiptera
Family Libellulidae Cimicidae
Size 34-39mm 4-5 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Gardens
Diet Blood Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Ruddy Darter

A small dragonfly where mature males turn deep blood-red with a distinctly club-shaped abdomen. Females remain golden-yellow. It has entirely black legs unlike similar species.

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Did You Know?

Pairs mate in flight, forming a heart-shaped wheel, then the female flicks eggs onto water while still attached to the male.

Eastern Bat Bug

A blood-feeding ectoparasite primarily of bats in eastern North America. It can bite humans when bat colonies are removed from buildings.

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Did You Know?

It is nearly indistinguishable from the common bed bug and requires microscopic examination to tell apart.