Arctic Woolly Bear Moth vs Mariana Eight-spot Butterfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Woolly Bear Moth | Mariana Eight-spot Butterfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Gynaephora groenlandica | Hypolimnas octocula marianensis |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Erebidae | Nymphalidae |
| Size | 30-40 mm wingspan | 5-7 cm wingspan |
| Habitat | Heathland | Forests |
| Diet | Omnivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland, Ellesmere Island | United States |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Endangered |
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.
Mariana Eight-spot Butterfly
A butterfly subspecies endemic to the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific. It has suffered from habitat destruction and invasive species.
Did You Know?
The brown tree snake, an invasive predator, has devastated many native species on Guam including this butterfly.