Shepherd's Fritillary vs Vacca Dung Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Shepherd's Fritillary Vacca Dung Beetle
Scientific Name Boloria pales Onthophagus vacca
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Nymphalidae Scarabaeidae
Size 30-36 mm wingspan 6-12 mm
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Nectar Feeders Dung Feeders
Regions Alps, Pyrenees, Balkans Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Shepherd's Fritillary

A variable fritillary butterfly of high alpine pastures. Its wing pattern varies greatly between populations across different mountain ranges.

💡

Did You Know?

It is named after the mountain shepherds who share its high-altitude habitat.

Vacca Dung Beetle

A small coppery-green to bronze tunneler with a broad head and short horns in males. It is a common pasture dung beetle across Europe. The metallic sheen distinguishes it from many congeners.

💡

Did You Know?

Males with longer horns guard tunnel entrances while hornless males sneak through side tunnels to mate.