Common Flat-body vs Fierce Orbweaver

Agonopterix heracliana compared with Araneus saevus

Key Differences

Common Flat-body is Least Concern while Fierce Orbweaver is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Flat-body	Fierce Orbweaver
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Araneae (Araneae)
Family	Depressariidae	Araneidae
Genus	Agonopterix	Araneus
Species	Agonopterix heracliana	Araneus saevus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Flat-body and Fierce Orbweaver share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Arthropoda. (Arthropods)

View Phylum: Arthropoda

Conservation Status

Common Flat-body

LC — Least Concern

Fierce Orbweaver

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Flat-body	Fierce Orbweaver
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Flat-body

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Fierce Orbweaver

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Norway, Sweden, and United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common Flat-body

<em>Agonopterix heracliana</em> is a moth belonging to the family Depressariidae within the order Lepidoptera. Commonly known as the common flat-body, this species is named for the flattened resting posture characteristic of the genus Agonopterix. The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with no indication of significant population decline. <em>Agonopterix heracliana</em> is distributed across northwestern Europe, with documented occurrences in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Larvae of this species are typically associated with plants in the family Apiaceae, particularly hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) and related umbellifers, upon which they feed while sheltering in rolled or folded leaves. Adults are typically brownish with subtle markings and are active from late summer through winter and early spring, overwintering as adults — an unusual life history trait among moths. The species inhabits hedgerows, woodland margins, and meadows where its host plants are abundant. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.