Tundra Mosquito vs Harpalus Seed-eating Ground Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tundra Mosquito Harpalus Seed-eating Ground Beetle
Scientific Name Aedes impiger Harpalus rufipes
Order Diptera Coleoptera
Family Culicidae Carabidae
Size 4-6 mm 11-16 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Tundra & Arctic
Diet Blood Feeders Predators
Regions Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland, Svalbard, northern Alaska Europe, Western Asia, Introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tundra Mosquito

A small but abundant Arctic mosquito with dark body and pale leg bands. It is one of the most northerly distributed mosquito species in the world. Larvae inhabit shallow tundra ponds warmed by continuous summer sunlight.

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Did You Know?

This mosquito has been found breeding at latitudes above 80 degrees north, among the most northerly insects on Earth.

Harpalus Seed-eating Ground Beetle

A common Palearctic ground beetle with pubescent elytra and orange-red legs. Despite being partly granivorous, it also preys on aphids and small insects.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few ground beetles that feeds heavily on weed seeds, making it a valuable pest control ally.