Freija Fritillary vs Green Chironomid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Freija Fritillary Green Chironomid
Scientific Name Boloria freija Tanytarsus pallidicornis
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Nymphalidae Chironomidae
Size 30-40 mm wingspan 3-5 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Alaska, northern Canada, Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Siberia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Freija Fritillary

A medium-small fritillary with bright orange wings bearing black zigzag markings. The hindwing underside features a distinctive arrowhead pattern in white and brown. It has a rapid, low flight over tundra bogs.

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Did You Know?

Named after the Norse goddess Freya, this butterfly is among the first to fly each spring in the boreal north.

Green Chironomid

A small greenish midge common in clean flowing water habitats. Larvae build portable silk tubes attached to stone surfaces.

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Did You Know?

Males form dense aerial mating swarms at dusk that resemble rising columns of smoke above waterways.