Eastern Tailed-Blue vs Doris Longwing
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Eastern Tailed-Blue | Doris Longwing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cupido comyntas | Heliconius doris |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Lycaenidae | Nymphalidae |
| Size | 20-29 mm wingspan | 65-80 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Grasslands | Forests |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | North America | South America (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Tiny blue butterfly with thin tails on the hindwings and orange spots near the tail. One of the smallest and most common butterflies in eastern North America.
Did You Know?
Its tiny hindwing tails mimic antennae, tricking predators into attacking the wrong end.
Doris Longwing
A highly variable Heliconius butterfly that occurs in multiple color forms including blue, red, and green morphs. All forms share the same basic wing shape but differ dramatically in color pattern. It inhabits the understory of dense tropical forests.
Did You Know?
A single population can contain blue, red, and green color morphs, all controlled by a single genetic switch, making it a model for studying wing pattern evolution.