Wartclub Lacewing vs Desert Spider Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Wartclub Lacewing Desert Spider Beetle
Scientific Name Ithone fulva Cysteodemus armatus
Order Neuroptera Coleoptera
Family Ithonidae Meloidae
Size 3-4 cm wingspan 10-16 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Root Feeders Herbivores
Regions Australia North America
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Wartclub Lacewing

A rare moth-like lacewing from southeastern Australia. Adults are short-lived and larvae burrow underground to feed on plant roots.

💡

Did You Know?

The family Ithonidae is one of the most ancient lacewing lineages, dating back over 200 million years.

Desert Spider Beetle

A bizarre inflated blister beetle with a bulbous, metallic blue-black abdomen. It waddles slowly through the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.

💡

Did You Know?

Its balloon-like body shape mimics a spider, which may deter some predators.