North American Alderfly vs Anna's Eighty-Eight
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | North American Alderfly | Anna's Eighty-Eight |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sialis infumata | Diaethria anna |
| Order | Megaloptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Sialidae | Nymphalidae |
| Size | 15-20 mm wingspan | 30-40 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Predators | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
North American Alderfly
A small, dark-winged alderfly common near ponds and slow streams across eastern North America. Adults are clumsy fliers often found resting on streamside plants.
Did You Know?
Larvae spend one to two years burrowing in pond mud before emerging for a brief adult life of just days.
Anna's Eighty-Eight
A small neotropical butterfly with bright blue-green upper wings and a striking black-and-white numeral pattern underneath. It is closely related to Cramer's eighty-eight.
Did You Know?
Despite being named for the number pattern, many individuals actually display patterns closer to '89' than '88.'