Birdwing Butterfly vs European Fruit Scale

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Birdwing Butterfly European Fruit Scale
Scientific Name Ornithoptera alexandrae Parthenolecanium corni
Order Lepidoptera Hemiptera
Family Papilionidae Coccidae
Size 210-310 mm wingspan 3-6 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Oceania Europe, North America, Asia
Conservation Endangered Not Evaluated

Birdwing Butterfly

The largest butterfly in the world with a wingspan up to 31 cm. Found only in a small area of Papua New Guinea. Females are larger but males have brighter blue-green coloring.

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Did You Know?

Queen Alexandras birdwing is so large it was first collected by shooting it with a shotgun — it remains the worlds largest butterfly with a wingspan wider than a dinner plate.

European Fruit Scale

A polyphagous soft scale insect that infests fruit trees, ornamentals, and forest trees across Europe. Heavy infestations cause branch dieback.

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Did You Know?

Its domed brown scale covering makes it resemble a tiny helmet attached to the twig.