Cabbage Tree Emperor Moth vs Brown Argus

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cabbage Tree Emperor Moth Brown Argus
Scientific Name Bunaea alcinoe Aricia agestis
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Saturniidae Lycaenidae
Size 100-160 mm wingspan 25-31 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Beaches & Coastal
Diet Omnivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Sub-Saharan Africa Europe, western Asia, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cabbage Tree Emperor Moth

A large emperor moth with reddish-brown wings bearing prominent eyespots. Larvae are gregarious and covered in branching spines.

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Did You Know?

In parts of southern Africa, the large protein-rich caterpillars are harvested and eaten as mopane worm alternatives.

Brown Argus

A small chocolate-brown butterfly with a row of bright orange crescent-shaped spots around the wing margins. Despite its brown color, it belongs to the blue butterfly subfamily.

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Did You Know?

It has expanded its range northward in Britain in recent decades, likely in response to climate warming.