Narrow-winged Bee Fly vs Frigga Fritillary

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Narrow-winged Bee Fly Frigga Fritillary
Scientific Name Systoechus vulgaris Boloria frigga
Order Diptera Lepidoptera
Family Bombyliidae Nymphalidae
Size 7-10 mm 34-42 mm wingspan
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Tundra & Arctic
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia, North Africa Alaska, northern Canada, Scandinavia, Finland, Siberia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Narrow-winged Bee Fly

A small, hairy bee fly with a rounded body and a short proboscis compared to Bombylius species. It hovers at flowers in arid habitats, frequently visiting low-growing composites.

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Did You Know?

Its larvae are important natural enemies of grasshoppers, entering and consuming their egg pods in the soil.

Frigga Fritillary

A medium-sized fritillary with tawny-orange wings and a bold pattern of dark lines. The hindwing underside has a distinctive purplish sheen with white median band. It flies slowly over boggy tundra terrain.

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Did You Know?

Named after Frigga, wife of the Norse god Odin, this butterfly prefers the wettest, boggiest parts of the tundra.