Uncompahgre Fritillary Butterfly vs Essex Skipper
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Uncompahgre Fritillary Butterfly | Essex Skipper |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Boloria acrocnema | Thymelicus lineola |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Hesperiidae |
| Size | 3-4 cm wingspan | 26-30 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Mountains | Grasslands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | United States | Europe, western Asia (introduced to North America) |
| Conservation | Endangered | Least Concern |
Uncompahgre Fritillary Butterfly
A small alpine butterfly found only above 3900 m in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. It was not discovered until 1978.
Did You Know?
Climate change is pushing its alpine habitat ever higher, leaving it with nowhere to go.
Essex Skipper
A small orange-brown skipper so similar to the small skipper that it was not recognised as a separate British species until 1889. The undersides of its antenna tips are black, not orange.
Did You Know?
It was overlooked in Britain for over a century because it was confused with the nearly identical small skipper.