Tropical Flat Bark Tiger Beetle vs Painted Bat Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tropical Flat Bark Tiger Beetle Painted Bat Moth
Scientific Name Tricondyla aptera Alcidis zodiaca
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Carabidae Uraniidae
Size 12-18 mm 80-120 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Predators Nectar Feeders
Regions Southeast Asia (Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia) Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Papua, Sulawesi, Maluku Islands)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

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.

Painted Bat Moth

A day-flying moth with iridescent blue-black wings marked with bands of brilliant orange and white patches. Its flight is slow and butterfly-like, displaying its warning colors conspicuously.

💡

Did You Know?

Despite being a moth, it is entirely diurnal and its iridescent wings rival the beauty of any butterfly in the region.