Clouded Yellow vs Japanese Luna Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Clouded Yellow Japanese Luna Moth
Scientific Name Colias croceus Actias gnoma
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Pieridae Saturniidae
Size Wingspan 46-54mm 80-110 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Forests
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, Africa, Asia East Asia, Japan
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Clouded Yellow

A fast-flying bright orange-yellow butterfly with black wing borders. A pale female form called helice has greenish-white wings instead of orange.

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Did You Know?

It migrates north from the Mediterranean each year but the return generation flies south at such high altitude it is rarely observed.

Japanese Luna Moth

A smaller Japanese moon moth known as 'o-mizuao-ga,' with elegant pale green wings and long tail streamers. Found in mountain forests of Japan, appearing in early summer.

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Did You Know?

The delicate trailing tails on the hindwings spin in flight, creating acoustic confusion that diverts echolocating bats away from the moth's vital body.