Common Lime Butterfly vs Pearly-banded Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Lime Butterfly Pearly-banded Bee
Scientific Name Papilio demoleus Nomia melanderi
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Papilionidae Halictidae
Size 80-100 mm wingspan 8-10 mm
Habitat Orchards Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, Caribbean Western North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Lime Butterfly

Black swallowtail covered in pale yellow spots and lacking hindwing tails. A major pest of citrus across Asia and recently invaded the Caribbean.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the most successful invasive butterflies, having colonized the Caribbean since 2004.

Pearly-banded Bee

A ground-nesting bee with pearly white abdominal bands vital for alfalfa pollination. Large nesting aggregations in alkaline soils can contain millions of individuals.

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Did You Know?

Farmers in the Pacific Northwest actively manage nesting sites to boost alfalfa seed yields.