Glasswing Butterfly vs Lapland Ringlet

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Glasswing Butterfly Lapland Ringlet
Scientific Name Greta oto Erebia embla
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Nymphalidae
Size 56-61 mm wingspan 40-48 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Omnivores
Regions Central America, South America Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Siberia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Glasswing Butterfly

Remarkable for its transparent wings, created by nanopillar structures that reduce light reflection to just 2%. This makes it nearly invisible in flight through the rainforest.

💡

Did You Know?

The glasswing butterflys transparent wings have anti-reflective nanopillars that inspired researchers to develop better anti-glare coatings for smartphone screens.

Lapland Ringlet

A dark brown butterfly with prominent yellow-ringed black eyespots on both wings. The flight is slow and bobbing close to the ground. It inhabits wet boggy areas in the boreal and subarctic zones.

💡

Did You Know?

This butterfly has a strict biennial cycle, with adults emerging only in odd or even years in any given location.