Painted Lady vs Heineken Hoverfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Painted Lady Heineken Hoverfly
Scientific Name Vanessa cardui Rhingia campestris
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Nymphalidae Syrphidae
Size 54-73 mm wingspan 9-12 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions Africa, Europe, Asia, North America, Oceania Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Painted Lady

The most widely distributed butterfly in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. Known for long-distance migrations across continents.

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Did You Know?

Painted lady butterflies make the longest known insect migration — up to 15,000 km round-trip between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa across generations.

Heineken Hoverfly

An unmistakable hoverfly with a long, beak-like snout used to reach nectar in tubular flowers. It has an orange abdomen and dark thorax.

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Did You Know?

It is nicknamed the Heineken fly because its long snout lets it reach the nectar other hoverflies cannot reach.