Clipper Butterfly vs Common Scorpionfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Clipper Butterfly | Common Scorpionfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Parthenos sylvia | Panorpa communis |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Mecoptera |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Panorpidae |
| Size | 90-110 mm wingspan | 9-15 mm body |
| Habitat | Mountains | Underground |
| Diet | Fruit Feeders | Fruit Feeders |
| Regions | Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam) | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Clipper Butterfly
A powerful gliding butterfly with broad wings marked in pale blue-green, brown, and white. It has a distinctive sailing flight style, gliding on stiffly held wings between trees.
Did You Know?
It exists in multiple color forms across its range, with wing colors varying from bluish-green to honey-brown in different regions.
Common Scorpionfly
Males have a bulbous upturned abdomen tip that resembles a scorpion stinger but is actually their genitalia and is completely harmless. Males offer nuptial gifts of saliva or dead insects.
Did You Know?
Male scorpionflies bring wedding presents — they offer females gifts of dead insects or secreted saliva droplets. Males with better gifts get longer mating opportunities.