Splendid Earth-boring Beetle vs Australian Glow-Worm Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Splendid Earth-boring Beetle Australian Glow-Worm Firefly
Scientific Name Bolbocerosoma farctum Atyphella lychnus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Geotrupidae Lampyridae
Size 8-14mm 8-15 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Forests
Diet Fungus Feeders Predators
Regions North America Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Splendid Earth-boring Beetle

A stout rotund beetle with a polished amber-brown body. It digs deep burrows in sandy soil and is attracted to lights at night.

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Did You Know?

It helps propagate underground fungi by carrying fungal spores between burrows acting as a subterranean gardener.

Australian Glow-Worm Firefly

One of Australia's few true firefly species, found in tropical Queensland rainforests. Females are wingless and glow from the forest floor.

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Did You Know?

Australia has surprisingly few firefly species compared to Southeast Asia, with most confined to the wet tropics of Queensland.