High-altitude Hover Fly vs Small Apollo
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | High-altitude Hover Fly | Small Apollo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Platycheirus alpinus | Parnassius phoebus |
| Order | Diptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Syrphidae | Papilionidae |
| Size | 6-9 mm body length | 50-60 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Meadows | Meadows |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Northern Europe, Alps, Arctic | Central Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
High-altitude Hover Fly
A small hover fly with flattened front legs, found in alpine and arctic habitats. It is an important pollinator of mountain wildflowers.
Did You Know?
Its flattened front tarsi are thought to help scrape pollen from flowers.
Small Apollo
A high-altitude alpine butterfly with translucent white wings bearing small red and black spots. It flies weakly over alpine meadows and scree slopes above the treeline.
Did You Know?
It only occurs above the treeline in the Alps and is one of Europe's highest-altitude butterflies.