Dragon Swallowtail vs Currant Clearwing
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Dragon Swallowtail | Currant Clearwing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sericinus montela | Synanthedon tipuliformis |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Papilionidae | Sesiidae |
| Size | 52-70 mm wingspan | 17-22 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Underground |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | China, Korea, Russian Far East | Europe, temperate Asia (introduced worldwide) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Dragon Swallowtail
A delicate white swallowtail with black veins and red spots, bearing long spatulate tails. It has a weak fluttering flight close to the ground.
Did You Know?
It belongs to a primitive lineage of swallowtails that diverged from other papilionids over 60 million years ago.
Currant Clearwing
A small wasp-mimicking moth with transparent wings and a black body banded with yellow. Its larvae bore into the stems of currant and gooseberry bushes.
Did You Know?
Its wasp mimicry is so convincing that gardeners who encounter it rarely realise they are looking at a moth.