common swift vs Harmless Serotine

Korscheltellus lupulina compared with Eptesicus innoxius

Key Differences

• common swift is Least Concern while Harmless Serotine is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	common swift	Harmless Serotine
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Hepialidae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Korscheltellus	Eptesicus
Species	Korscheltellus lupulina	Eptesicus innoxius

Evolutionary Relationship

common swift and Harmless Serotine share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

common swift

LC — Least Concern

Harmless Serotine

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	common swift	Harmless Serotine
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

common swift

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Harmless Serotine

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ecuador. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

common swift

<em>Korscheltellus lupulina</em>, the common swift moth or ghost swift, is a moth in the family Hepialidae, order Lepidoptera. It is recorded from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, with a broader distribution across Europe and temperate Asia. The species typically inhabits grasslands, meadows, garden lawns, and field margins where its larval host plants grow. Adult ghost swifts are notable for their spectacular lek-like swarming behavior at dusk, in which males hover in groups to attract females, appearing to hover like ghosts over vegetation. Larvae of <em>Korscheltellus lupulina</em> feed underground on the roots of a variety of herbaceous plants and grasses, including hop (Humulus lupulus), which gives the species its specific name. Adults do not feed, having vestigial mouthparts, and live only long enough to reproduce. Biological traits including precise larval duration, adult size measurements, and detailed host plant specificity remain poorly documented at the species level. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with stable populations across its European range and no significant conservation threats identified.