Small Magpie Moth vs Blue Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Small Magpie Moth Blue Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Anania hortulata Paederus fuscipes
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Crambidae Staphylinidae
Size 26-30 mm wingspan 6-8 mm
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Western Asia South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Small Magpie Moth

A pretty white moth with black spots and a yellow head. Despite its name, it is a crambid rather than a geometrid like the true Magpie Moth.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillar lives inside a rolled leaf shelter that it spins shut with silk.

Blue Rove Beetle

A small, slender beetle with metallic blue elytra and an orange abdomen. It is an important biological control agent in rice paddies.

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Did You Know?

Outbreaks of skin dermatitis called 'Paederus dermatitis' occur when people unknowingly crush these beetles on their skin.