Oak Pinhole Borer vs Arctic Woolly Bear Moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Oak Pinhole Borer | Arctic Woolly Bear Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Platypus cylindrus | Gynaephora groenlandica |
| Order | Coleoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Curculionidae | Erebidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 30-40 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Gardens | Heathland |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe | Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland, Ellesmere Island |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Oak Pinhole Borer
A tiny ambrosia beetle that bores into oak trees and cultivates fungal gardens inside its tunnels. The only European species of its subfamily. Males guard the tunnel entrance.
Did You Know?
One of the few farming insects in Europe, cultivating fungal crops inside tunnels bored into oak wood.
Arctic Woolly Bear Moth
A medium-sized moth whose caterpillar is famous for its extremely long development. Adults are gray-brown with hairy bodies. The densely hairy caterpillar is dark brown to black and curls into a tight ball when disturbed.
Did You Know?
The caterpillar can take up to 14 years to complete development, spending most of each year frozen solid and thawing for only a few weeks of feeding each summer.