Common Rose Swallowtail vs Japanese Horntail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Rose Swallowtail Japanese Horntail
Scientific Name Pachliopta aristolochiae Eriotremex formosanus
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Papilionidae Siricidae
Size Wingspan 80-110 mm 20-35 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions India, Sri Lanka, China, Southeast Asia East Asia, Taiwan, introduced to southeastern United States
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Rose Swallowtail

A striking black and crimson swallowtail butterfly common across South and Southeast Asia. Its body contains toxins sequestered from Aristolochia host plants.

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Did You Know?

Several non-toxic butterfly species mimic its bold red and black warning colors to avoid predators.

Japanese Horntail

A large wood wasp with a robust reddish-brown body and dark wings. Native to East Asia, it attacks stressed and recently felled hardwood trees.

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Did You Know?

This species was first detected in North America in 1974 and is one of the few tropical siricid wood wasps to establish invasive populations.