Clouded Buff Moth vs Columbine Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Clouded Buff Moth Columbine Sawfly
Scientific Name Diacrisia sannio Pristiphora aquilegiae
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Erebidae Tenthredinidae
Size 38-48 mm wingspan 5-7 mm
Habitat Heathland Gardens
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Asia Europe, introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Clouded Buff Moth

A medium-sized moth where males are golden-buff and females are pinkish with darker wing borders. Males fly actively in sunshine over heathland.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few tiger moths whose males are regular day-fliers, patrolling heathland in bright sun.

Columbine Sawfly

A small, dark sawfly whose pale green larvae feed on the leaves of columbine plants. Larvae can cause significant damage in flower gardens.

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Did You Know?

Larvae feed from the leaf edges inward and can reduce a columbine plant to bare stems and leaf ribs within days.