Arctic Fritillary vs Zodion Thick-headed Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Arctic Fritillary Zodion Thick-headed Fly
Scientific Name Boloria chariclea Zodion cinereum
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Nymphalidae Conopidae
Size 28-36 mm wingspan 5-8 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Arctic North America, Scandinavia, Siberia Europe, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Arctic Fritillary

A small, orange-brown fritillary butterfly of arctic and alpine tundra. Its underside has distinctive silvery-white markings.

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Did You Know?

It can complete its life cycle in the brief two-month arctic summer.

Zodion Thick-headed Fly

A small, grayish-brown conopid fly with a slightly swollen head and prominent proboscis. It is commonly found on flowers where it stalks small bees and wasps for parasitism.

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Did You Know?

Unlike larger conopids that tackle bumblebees, this species specializes in parasitizing smaller sweat bees and halictids.