Chinese Tussar Moth vs Alder Leaf Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Chinese Tussar Moth Alder Leaf Beetle
Scientific Name Antheraea frithi Agelastica alni
Order Lepidoptera Coleoptera
Family Saturniidae Chrysomelidae
Size Wingspan 100-140 mm 6-7 mm
Habitat Indoors Ponds & Lakes
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions China, India, Myanmar Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Chinese Tussar Moth

A large wild silk moth with rich brown wings bearing four prominent transparent eyespots. It produces durable wild silk used in traditional Chinese textiles.

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Did You Know?

Its cocoon silk is so tough that scissors are needed to cut it, unlike the delicate thread of domestic silkworms.

Alder Leaf Beetle

A metallic dark violet-blue beetle that feeds on alder trees. Heavy infestations can completely defoliate alder trees along waterways.

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Did You Know?

After being absent from Britain for decades, it dramatically recolonised southern England in the early 2000s.