Polar Fritillary vs Asian Mud Dauber
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Polar Fritillary | Asian Mud Dauber |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Boloria polaris | Sceliphron curvatum |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Sphecidae |
| Size | 30-38 mm wingspan | 15-25 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Underground |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Canadian Arctic, northern Alaska, Greenland, Svalbard, northern Scandinavia, Siberia | Central Asia, Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Polar Fritillary
A small butterfly with warm orange upperwings marked with dark spots and zigzag lines. The underside has a distinctive pattern of white and reddish-brown patches. It is restricted to true Arctic tundra habitats.
Did You Know?
This is one of the most northerly butterflies in the world, found within a few hundred kilometers of the North Pole on Ellesmere Island.
Asian Mud Dauber
A dark-bodied mud dauber originally from Central Asia now invasive across Europe. It builds mud nests inside buildings and provisions them with spiders.
Did You Know?
It spread from its native range in India and Central Asia to colonize most of southern and central Europe within just 30 years.