Chalk Hill Blue vs Chestnut Gall Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Chalk Hill Blue Chestnut Gall Wasp
Scientific Name Polyommatus coridon Dryocosmus kuriphilus
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Lycaenidae Cynipidae
Size Wingspan 33-40mm 2.5–3 mm
Habitat Grasslands Orchards
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe East Asia, Europe, North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Chalk Hill Blue

A large blue butterfly with silvery-blue males and brown females. Restricted to chalk and limestone grasslands.

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Did You Know?

Males have an ethereal silvery-blue tone unique among European butterflies, visible in large numbers on chalk hills.

Chestnut Gall Wasp

An invasive gall wasp from China that is the most damaging pest of chestnut trees worldwide. It induces galls on buds and leaves, reducing nut yields.

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Did You Know?

It reproduces entirely through parthenogenesis; no males have ever been found in any population.