Brassy Willow Beetle vs Walnut Sphinx Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Brassy Willow Beetle Walnut Sphinx Moth
Scientific Name Phratora vitellinae Amorpha juglandis
Order Coleoptera Lepidoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Sphingidae
Size 3-5 mm 50-75 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Woodlands
Diet Detritivores Detritivores
Regions Europe, Northern Asia Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Brassy Willow Beetle

A small, shiny metallic bronze to greenish beetle that feeds on willow and poplar. Adults overwinter in leaf litter and emerge in spring to colonize new willow growth.

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Did You Know?

Larvae secrete salicylaldehyde, a chemical obtained from salicin in willow leaves, which smells like antiseptic and deters predators.

Walnut Sphinx Moth

A beautifully cryptic hawk moth with scalloped wing edges and mottled brown, gray, and lavender patterns. It rests among leaf litter where it is nearly impossible to detect.

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Did You Know?

The walnut sphinx caterpillar can produce a high-pitched whistle by forcing air through its spiracles, startling birds and other predators.