Chalk Hill Blue vs Polar Rove Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Chalk Hill Blue | Polar Rove Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Polyommatus coridon | Atheta graminicola |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Lycaenidae | Staphylinidae |
| Size | Wingspan 33-40mm | 2-4 mm |
| Habitat | Grasslands | Heathland |
| Diet | Herbivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | Europe | Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Iceland, subarctic Canada |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Chalk Hill Blue
A large blue butterfly with silvery-blue males and brown females. Restricted to chalk and limestone grasslands.
Did You Know?
Males have an ethereal silvery-blue tone unique among European butterflies, visible in large numbers on chalk hills.
Polar Rove Beetle
A tiny, elongate rove beetle with short wing covers and a flexible abdomen. It is dark brown to black and very agile. It lives among decaying vegetation and is a predator of mites and other small arthropods.
Did You Know?
Rove beetles like this species can raise their abdomens like scorpions to deter predators, though they have no stinger.