Steel-blue Cricket Hunter vs Patagonian Tiger Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Steel-blue Cricket Hunter | Patagonian Tiger Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chlorion aerarium | Cicindela patagonika |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Sphecidae | Cicindelidae |
| Size | 18-28 mm | 12-18 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Grasslands |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | North America | South America (Argentina - Patagonia, Chile) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Steel-blue Cricket Hunter
A large metallic blue wasp that hunts field crickets and mole crickets. It drags paralyzed prey into burrows to provision its nest cells.
Did You Know?
It enters cricket burrows headfirst to sting and extract its prey from underground.
Patagonian Tiger Beetle
A fast-running predatory beetle adapted to the harsh steppe environment of Patagonia. It has a dark metallic body with pale markings on the elytra and large prominent eyes for tracking prey. It is one of the fastest running insects relative to body size.
Did You Know?
It runs so fast that it temporarily goes blind during pursuit, having to stop and re-orient before resuming the chase.