Chequered Skipper vs Palamedes Swallowtail
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Chequered Skipper | Palamedes Swallowtail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Carterocephalus palaemon | Papilio palamedes |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Hesperiidae | Papilionidae |
| Size | 26-32 mm wingspan | 100-130 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Forests |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe, temperate Asia, North America | Southeastern United States coastal plain |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern; threatened by laurel wilt disease k |
Chequered Skipper
A small dark butterfly with bold orange-yellow chequered spots, once found in English woodlands but now confined to western Scotland in Britain. It was successfully reintroduced to England in 2018.
Did You Know?
It became extinct in England in 1976 but was reintroduced using stock from Belgium four decades later.
Palamedes Swallowtail
A large dark swallowtail of southern swamp forests with yellow bands and a distinctive yellow postmedial stripe on the hindwing underside. It has a slow, sailing flight through the forest understory.
Did You Know?
The spread of laurel wilt fungus, which kills red bay trees, now threatens this butterfly across much of its range.