Tropical Flat Bark Tiger Beetle vs Japanese Giant Water Bug
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tropical Flat Bark Tiger Beetle | Japanese Giant Water Bug |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tricondyla aptera | Lethocerus deyrolli |
| Order | Coleoptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Carabidae | Belostomatidae |
| Size | 12-18 mm | 48-65 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Ponds & Lakes |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | Southeast Asia (Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia) | East Asia, Japan |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
Tropical Flat Bark Tiger Beetle
A bizarre, ant-like tiger beetle with an extremely elongated body, narrow waist, and long legs. It hunts on tree bark in Southeast Asian rainforests and is completely flightless.
Did You Know?
Its ant-like body shape with a constricted waist is thought to be Batesian mimicry of large ants, allowing it to approach ant prey without being recognized as a predator.
Japanese Giant Water Bug
Known as 'ta-garame' in Japanese, this is one of Japan's largest aquatic insects. A fearsome ambush predator that can catch small fish and frogs. Has declined dramatically due to habitat loss.
Did You Know?
Males of this species guard the eggs, which the female glues to emergent vegetation above water, by periodically climbing up to moisten them.