Short-winged Firefly vs Riband Wave Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Short-winged Firefly Riband Wave Moth
Scientific Name Lucidota atra Idaea aversata
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Lampyridae Geometridae
Size 8-13 mm 26-33 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions North America Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Short-winged Firefly

A dark-bodied, day-active firefly that has lost the ability to produce light as an adult. It has a black body with a reddish-orange pronotum and is often found on tree trunks and vegetation.

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Did You Know?

Despite being a firefly, this diurnal species relies on chemical pheromones rather than light signals to find mates.

Riband Wave Moth

A small greyish moth occurring in both banded and plain forms. The banded form has a conspicuous dark central band across the forewings.

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Did You Know?

Both the banded and plain forms can emerge from the same brood of eggs.