Tersa Sphinx Moth vs Four-spotted Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tersa Sphinx Moth Four-spotted Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Xylophanes tersa Drusilla canaliculata
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Sphingidae Staphylinidae
Size 60-80 mm 3-4 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Scavengers
Regions Southern United States, Central America, South America Europe, Northern Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tersa Sphinx Moth

A sleek hawk moth with narrow, pointed forewings in lavender-gray with darker streaks. It is a fast and agile flier found throughout the Americas.

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Did You Know?

The tersa sphinx caterpillar has a series of large eyespots along its body that create a convincing snake-mimic appearance.

Four-spotted Rove Beetle

A small, flattened aleocharine rove beetle with a distinctive channeled pronotum and brownish coloration. It is frequently found in and around ant nests where it scavenges on nest debris.

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Did You Know?

This beetle produces a defensive spray from abdominal glands that deters attacking ants, allowing it to live safely near ant colonies.