Twelve-Spotted Skimmer vs Sand-Loving Hister Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Twelve-Spotted Skimmer | Sand-Loving Hister Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Libellula pulchella | Hypocaccus rugifrons |
| Order | Odonata | Coleoptera |
| Family | Libellulidae | Histeridae |
| Size | 65-75 mm wingspan | 2-4 mm |
| Habitat | Ponds & Lakes | Beaches & Coastal |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | North America | Europe, Mediterranean coasts |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Twelve-Spotted Skimmer
A showy dragonfly with three dark spots on each wing, totaling twelve. Mature males develop additional white spots between the dark ones.
Did You Know?
Despite the name twelve-spotted, mature males actually have 24 wing markings when the white pruinose spots are included.
Sand-Loving Hister Beetle
A small, reddish-brown hister beetle found in sandy coastal habitats. It hunts fly larvae in seaweed wrack and stranded carrion.
Did You Know?
It buries itself in sand beneath rotting kelp during the day and emerges at night to hunt fly larvae in the wrack.