Gynaephora groenlandica, the Arctic woolly bear moth, is an erebid moth native to the High Arctic in the Canadian archipelago, Greenland and Wrangel Island in Russia.[2][4] It is known for its slow rate of development, as its full caterpillar life cycle may extend up to 7 years, with moulting occurring each spring.[5] This species remains in a larval state for the vast majority of its life.[4][6] Rare among Lepidoptera, it undergoes an annual period of diapause that lasts for much of the calendar year, as G. groenlandica is subject to some of the longest, most extreme winters on Earth.[7][8] In this dormant state, it can withstand temperatures as low as −70 °C.[7] The Arctic woolly bear moth also exhibits basking behavior, which aids in temperature regulation and digestion and affects both metabolism and oxygen consumption.[4][6] Females generally do not fly, while males usually do.[7]
This species has an alpine subspecies which is notable for its geographic distribution south of the High Arctic.[9]
| Arctic woolly bear moth | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classificatio | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Erebidae |
| Genus: | Gynaephora |
| Species: | G. groenlandica |
| Binomial name | |
| Gynaephora groenlandica | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
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