Common Mime vs Transparent Burnet Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Mime Transparent Burnet Moth
Scientific Name Papilio clytia Methona confusa
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Papilionidae Nymphalidae
Size 80-100 mm wingspan 55-65 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Predators
Regions Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos) South America (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Mime

A polymorphic swallowtail butterfly that exists in two main forms: one mimicking the toxic Common Crow and the other mimicking the Blue Tiger. Both forms lack the typical swallowtail tails.

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Did You Know?

The two distinct forms are controlled by a single genetic switch, making it one of the best examples of genetic polymorphism in butterflies.

Transparent Burnet Moth

A delicate butterfly with almost entirely transparent wings bordered by dark brown and orange margins. It is part of a mimicry complex involving several toxic species. Its slow, floating flight and transparency make it difficult for predators to track.

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Did You Know?

Its transparent wings make it extremely difficult for birds to pursue in flight because predators lose visual track of the nearly invisible insect against complex backgrounds.