Black-winged Damselfly vs Five-bar Swordtail
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Black-winged Damselfly | Five-bar Swordtail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calopteryx atrata | Graphium antiphates |
| Order | Odonata | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Calopterygidae | Papilionidae |
| Size | 55-68mm | 75-100 mm wingspan, tails up to 25 mm |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Predators | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Asia | Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Black-winged Damselfly
A large damselfly where males have entirely black iridescent wings with a metallic blue-green body. Females have dark smoky-brown wings. It inhabits clean streams in East Asia.
Did You Know?
In Japan it is called 'haguro-tonbo' (black-winged dragonfly) and is considered a symbol of good fortune.
Five-bar Swordtail
An elegant swallowtail with pale creamy-white wings crossed by bold black zebra-like stripes and exceptionally long, narrow sword-shaped tails. It is a swift, darting flier.
Did You Know?
It is one of the fastest-flying butterflies in Southeast Asia and is notoriously difficult to catch due to its erratic zigzag flight pattern.