Dark Green Fritillary vs Graceful Twig Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dark Green Fritillary Graceful Twig Ant
Scientific Name Speyeria aglaja Tetraponera aethiops
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Nymphalidae Formicidae
Size 55-65 mm wingspan 5-8 mm
Habitat Grasslands Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe Sub-Saharan Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dark Green Fritillary

A fast-flying fritillary with a powerful gliding flight over open grasslands. Its underside features large silver spots against a green-washed background.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the fastest-flying European butterflies and rarely settles for long.

Graceful Twig Ant

A slender black African twig ant that nests in hollow stems and branches. Workers are elongate with a narrow waist and deliver a mildly painful sting when disturbed. Colonies are small, typically with fewer than 100 workers per twig nest.

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Did You Know?

Their elongated body shape allows them to navigate inside narrow hollow stems that would be inaccessible to bulkier ant species.