Cuban Dagger Moth vs Green Dragontail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cuban Dagger Moth Green Dragontail
Scientific Name Acronicta oblinita Lamproptera meges
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Noctuidae Papilionidae
Size 35-45 mm wingspan 40-55 mm wingspan, tails up to 30 mm
Habitat Wetlands Rivers & Streams
Diet Herbivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Cuba, Caribbean, North America Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia)
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Cuban Dagger Moth

A moth found in Cuba and North America whose caterpillars bear dense tufts of hair. Adults are grayish with subtle dagger-like markings on the forewings.

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Did You Know?

The caterpillar's dense hairs can cause skin irritation if handled.

Green Dragontail

A diminutive swallowtail butterfly with translucent green-tinted wings and extraordinarily long, slender tail streamers on the hindwings. It hovers like a hummingbird while feeding.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the smallest swallowtails in the world and its hovering flight, combined with translucent wings, makes it look like a tiny dragonfly.