Rain Beetle Hunter vs Stenus Jet Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Rain Beetle Hunter Stenus Jet Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Calosoma cancellatum Stenus bimaculatus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Carabidae Staphylinidae
Size 18-25 mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Grasslands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions North America, from Canada to Mexico Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Rain Beetle Hunter

A medium to large caterpillar hunter with dark elytra marked by rows of rectangular pits giving a grid-like appearance. It is one of the most common Calosoma species across North American prairies.

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Did You Know?

It emerges in massive numbers after rain events on the Great Plains, earning the nickname rain beetle, and can be found running across roads in huge aggregations.

Stenus Jet Rove Beetle

A small rove beetle with bulging eyes and an extensible sticky labium used to capture springtails. It can skim across water using a surfactant secretion.

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Did You Know?

It secretes a chemical that lowers surface tension behind it, propelling it across water at remarkable speed.