Ross's Alpine vs Northern Rock Crawler
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Ross's Alpine | Northern Rock Crawler |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Erebia rossii | Grylloblatta campodeiformis |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Grylloblattodea |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Grylloblattidae |
| Size | 34-42 mm wingspan | 15-30 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Indoors |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Arctic Alaska, northern Canada, Yukon Territory | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
Ross's Alpine
A dark brown butterfly with small reddish-orange eye spots on the forewings. Its cryptic coloration allows it to blend with dark tundra soils and rocks. It has a slow, bobbing flight pattern close to the ground.
Did You Know?
Named after the Arctic explorer Sir James Clark Ross, this butterfly takes two full years to develop from egg to adult.
Northern Rock Crawler
A rare ice-dwelling insect that lives on glaciers and snowfields at near-freezing temperatures. Handling one with bare hands can overheat and kill it.
Did You Know?
Rock crawlers are so cold-adapted that a human hand is hot enough to kill them — they prefer temperatures between 1-4C and die above 20C.