Northern Ladybird vs Buff-tip

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Northern Ladybird Buff-tip
Scientific Name Coccinella trifasciata Phalera bucephala
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Coccinellidae Notodontidae
Size 4-6 mm 55-68 mm wingspan
Habitat Heathland Underground
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Alaska, northern Canada, subarctic Scandinavia, northern Russia Europe, temperate Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Northern Ladybird

A small ladybird with orange-red elytra bearing three distinct black crossbands. It is cold-adapted and found further north than most other ladybird species. Adults and larvae are predators of aphids on northern vegetation.

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Did You Know?

This ladybird aggregates in large groups under rocks in autumn, entering communal hibernation to survive the Arctic winter.

Buff-tip

A moth that mimics a broken birch twig with remarkable precision when at rest. Its silvery-grey wings end in a buff-coloured patch resembling exposed wood.

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Did You Know?

Caterpillars feed communally in large groups and can completely defoliate small trees.