Legionary Ant vs Lapland Ringlet

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Legionary Ant Lapland Ringlet
Scientific Name Neivamyrmex nigrescens Erebia embla
Order Hymenoptera Lepidoptera
Family Formicidae Nymphalidae
Size 2-5 mm 40-48 mm wingspan
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Forests
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Southwestern United States, Mexico Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Siberia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Legionary Ant

The most common army ant species in the United States, conducting nocturnal column raids on other ant nests. Workers are small and reddish-brown with reduced eyes.

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Did You Know?

They are rarely seen because they raid almost exclusively at night and spend most of their time underground.

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.

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Did You Know?

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