Arctic Woolly Bear Moth vs Giant Pedunculate Ground Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Arctic Woolly Bear Moth Giant Pedunculate Ground Beetle
Scientific Name Gynaephora groenlandica Anthia thoracica
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Erebidae Carabidae
Size 30-40 mm wingspan 40-60 mm
Habitat Heathland Deserts & Drylands
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland, Ellesmere Island Southern Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

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.

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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.

Giant Pedunculate Ground Beetle

A very large southern African ground beetle with bold white markings on a black body. It is one of the largest carabids in the world.

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Did You Know?

It can spray formic acid from its abdomen up to 30 centimeters when threatened.