Banana Cockroach vs Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Banana Cockroach Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly
Scientific Name Periplaneta truncata Protogoniomorpha parhassus
Order Blattodea Lepidoptera
Family Blattidae Nymphalidae
Size 28-38 mm 70-90 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Forests
Diet Fruit Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions West and Central Africa Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Banana Cockroach

A large cockroach commonly found in tropical African banana plantations. It has a dark brown body with truncated wing tips.

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Did You Know?

It frequently hitchhikes in banana shipments, appearing in warehouses and ports far from its native range.

Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly

A large butterfly with shimmering pearly white wings that reflect iridescent blue and pink. It inhabits deep forest where it glides through shaded clearings.

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Did You Know?

The pearlescent sheen on its wings is produced by tiny overlapping scales that act as multilayer reflectors.