Spiny Oakworm Moth Predator Beetle vs Spanish Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spiny Oakworm Moth Predator Beetle Spanish Fly
Scientific Name Calosoma scrutator Lytta vesicatoria
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Carabidae Meloidae
Size 25-36 mm 10-22mm
Habitat Orchards Orchards
Diet Predators Herbivores
Regions North America Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Spiny Oakworm Moth Predator Beetle

A large, iridescent green ground beetle with violet-blue margins, known as the fiery searcher. It hunts caterpillars in tree canopies at night.

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Did You Know?

It can live up to three years, far longer than most ground beetles.

Spanish Fly

A slender, metallic green blister beetle with soft elytra. It produces cantharidin, a potent blistering agent, as a chemical defense.

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Did You Know?

Cantharidin from this beetle has been used in medicine for centuries but it is extremely toxic and can be lethal if ingested.