Dingy Arctic Fritillary vs White-legged Damselfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dingy Arctic Fritillary White-legged Damselfly
Scientific Name Boloria improba Platycnemis pennipes
Order Lepidoptera Odonata
Family Nymphalidae Platycnemididae
Size 26-32 mm wingspan 32-37 mm body length
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Rivers & Streams
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Arctic Scandinavia, Svalbard, Arctic Russia, Alaska, Canadian Arctic Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Dingy Arctic Fritillary

One of the smallest Arctic fritillaries with dull orange-brown wings and dark markings. The underside is mottled brown and gray with a mossy, cryptic appearance. It has a weak, fluttering flight close to the ground.

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Did You Know?

This butterfly is so rare and localized that some populations consist of fewer than 100 individuals on isolated mountain summits.

White-legged Damselfly

A pale, delicate damselfly with distinctively flattened white legs that the male waves during courtship displays. It prefers slow-flowing rivers and canals.

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Did You Know?

Males display their expanded white legs like flags to attract females during courtship.