Clouded Apollo vs Australian March Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Clouded Apollo Australian March Fly
Scientific Name Parnassius mnemosyne Bibio imitator
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Papilionidae Bibionidae
Size 52-62 mm wingspan 6-10 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia Australia
Conservation Near Threatened Least Concern

Clouded Apollo

A delicate, semi-translucent white butterfly with dark wing veins and small dark spots. It flies slowly through woodland clearings in late spring.

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Did You Know?

Its translucent wings lack the typical scales found on most butterflies, giving them a ghostly appearance.

Australian March Fly

A robust black bibionid fly that appears in large numbers during the Australian autumn. It has a hairy body and is a sluggish flyer, often seen resting on vegetation.

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Did You Know?

Despite sharing the common name with horse flies in Australia, march flies in the family Bibionidae are completely harmless.