Elm Leaf Beetle vs Arctic Woolly Bear Caterpillar Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Elm Leaf Beetle Arctic Woolly Bear Caterpillar Moth
Scientific Name Xanthogaleruca luteola Gynaephora rossii
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Erebidae
Size 5-7 mm 28-38 mm wingspan
Habitat Woodlands Heathland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, introduced worldwide Canadian Arctic, Alaska, northern Siberia
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Elm Leaf Beetle

A yellowish-green beetle with dark stripes along its elytra. Both adults and larvae feed on elm leaves, sometimes causing severe defoliation.

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Did You Know?

Heavy infestations can strip an elm tree of nearly all its leaves in a single season.

Arctic Woolly Bear Caterpillar Moth

A close relative of the Greenland woolly bear, this moth has pale gray wings and a densely furred body. The caterpillar is covered in long dark hairs and freezes solid each winter. Adults have reduced mouthparts.

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Did You Know?

This moth's caterpillar is parasitized at very high rates by ichneumon wasps, which may extend its already decade-long development even further.