Spring Pygmy Firefly vs Cottonwood Borer
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Spring Pygmy Firefly | Cottonwood Borer |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pleotomus pallens | Plectrodera scalator |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Lampyridae | Cerambycidae |
| Size | 5-8 mm | 25-40 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Omnivores | Root Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Central and eastern United States |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Spring Pygmy Firefly
A tiny, rarely seen firefly of the eastern United States with a very short adult life span. Males produce faint, sporadic greenish flashes close to the ground.
Did You Know?
Females are wingless and larviform, and were once classified as a completely separate species from the males.
Cottonwood Borer
A large longhorn beetle with bold black and white patterning and long antennae. Its larvae bore into the roots and lower trunks of cottonwood and willow trees.
Did You Know?
When handled, it produces a loud squeaking sound by rubbing parts of its thorax together.