Bitter Blue vs Fall Webworm

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Bitter Blue Fall Webworm
Scientific Name Theclinesthes miskini Hyphantria cunea
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Lycaenidae Erebidae
Size 20-28 mm wingspan 25-42 mm wingspan
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Grasslands
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Australia North America, Europe, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Bitter Blue

Small blue and brown butterfly with spotted gray undersides. Commonly found around its host plant in Australian coastal areas.

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Did You Know?

It is tended by several species of ants that protect the caterpillars in exchange for honeydew.

Fall Webworm

A native North American moth whose caterpillars build communal silk webs on tree branches. It has become invasive in Europe and Asia.

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Did You Know?

Unlike tent caterpillars, fall webworm nests enclose the foliage the larvae are feeding on.