Chinese Windmill Butterfly vs White Underwing
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Chinese Windmill Butterfly | White Underwing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Byasa alcinous | Catocala relicta |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Papilionidae | Erebidae |
| Size | Wingspan 75-95 mm | 70-85 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Forests | Woodlands |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan | Northern United States and southern Canada |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Chinese Windmill Butterfly
A dark swallowtail with red-spotted hindwings that rotates its wings in a slow windmill-like pattern during flight. It is widespread in East Asian lowland forests.
Did You Know?
Its distinctive slow, spinning flight style gives it the common name windmill butterfly.
White Underwing
A striking underwing moth with white and black banded forewings that mimics birch bark. Its hindwings are black with broad white bands.
Did You Know?
It is one of the only underwing moths with white rather than colored hindwings, matching the white bark of its birch tree hosts.