Arctic Woolly Bear Moth vs Freyer's Purple Emperor
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Woolly Bear Moth | Freyer's Purple Emperor |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Gynaephora groenlandica | Apatura metis |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Erebidae | Nymphalidae |
| Size | 30-40 mm wingspan | 60-70 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Heathland | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Omnivores | Dung Feeders |
| Regions | Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland, Ellesmere Island | Southeastern Europe, Central Asia, China |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern (globally); rare and declining in Eu |
Arctic Woolly Bear Moth
A medium-sized moth whose caterpillar is famous for its extremely long development. Adults are gray-brown with hairy bodies. The densely hairy caterpillar is dark brown to black and curls into a tight ball when disturbed.
Did You Know?
The caterpillar can take up to 14 years to complete development, spending most of each year frozen solid and thawing for only a few weeks of feeding each summer.
Freyer's Purple Emperor
A large, powerful butterfly closely related to the purple emperor but restricted to river valleys. Males display a brilliant purple-blue iridescence on the upper wing surface.
Did You Know?
Males patrol narrow sections of riverbank at high speed, chasing away all other large insects.