Polar Willow Gall Sawfly vs Greenland Ground Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Polar Willow Gall Sawfly Greenland Ground Beetle
Scientific Name Euura arcticum Patrobus septentrionis
Order Hymenoptera Coleoptera
Family Tenthredinidae Carabidae
Size 3-5 mm 8-11 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Tundra & Arctic
Diet Gall Makers Predators
Regions Arctic Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Arctic Scandinavia, Svalbard Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Greenland, Arctic Canada
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Polar Willow Gall Sawfly

A tiny sawfly that induces galls on Arctic willow stems by injecting chemicals during egg-laying. The larva develops safely inside the swollen plant tissue. Adults are small and dark with clear wings.

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Did You Know?

The gall provides the larva with both food and insulation, maintaining temperatures several degrees warmer than the outside air.

Greenland Ground Beetle

A dark brown to black ground beetle with long legs and a narrowly oval body. It is common under stones and moss in damp habitats across the subarctic. Adults are fast-running nocturnal predators.

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Did You Know?

Despite its common name, this beetle is one of only a handful of beetle species that can survive in Greenland's harsh climate.