Coppery Dysphania vs Cinnabar Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Coppery Dysphania Cinnabar Moth
Scientific Name Dysphania cuprina Tyria jacobaeae
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Geometridae Erebidae
Size 70-75 mm wingspan 32-42 mm wingspan
Habitat Forests Beaches & Coastal
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions Southeast Asia Europe, central Asia (introduced to Australasia and Americas)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Coppery Dysphania

A brightly colored day-flying moth widespread across Southeast Asia. The metallic coppery-gold and black pattern warns predators of its unpalatability. Flies with a slow, confident wingbeat.

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Did You Know?

Flies slowly and conspicuously during the day, confident that its bright warning colors will deter predators.

Cinnabar Moth

A day-flying moth with charcoal-black wings marked with crimson-red stripes and spots. It has been deliberately introduced worldwide as a biological control agent for ragwort.

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Did You Know?

Its caterpillars store toxic alkaloids from ragwort, making them so distasteful that birds learn to avoid them.