Cream-spot Tiger Moth vs Japanese Spicebush Swallowtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cream-spot Tiger Moth Japanese Spicebush Swallowtail
Scientific Name Arctia villica Papilio protenor
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Erebidae Papilionidae
Size 50-65 mm wingspan 80-120 mm wingspan
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Gardens
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, Africa East Asia, Japan/Korea
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cream-spot Tiger Moth

A striking black moth with cream-white spots and orange hindwings with dark patches.

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Did You Know?

It clicks its tymbal organs to jam bat echolocation.

Japanese Spicebush Swallowtail

A striking all-black swallowtail known as 'kuro-ageha' in Japanese. The hindwings have subtle red and blue markings. Common in wooded areas and gardens across Japan and Korea.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillars of this species have a remarkable snake-mimicry defense, with large eyespots on their thorax that resemble a snake's head.