Emerald Swallowtail vs Neotropical Robber Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Emerald Swallowtail Neotropical Robber Fly
Scientific Name Papilio palinurus Ommatius orenoquensis
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Papilionidae Asilidae
Size 80-100 mm wingspan 10-15 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Nectar Feeders Predators
Regions South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Emerald Swallowtail

A stunning swallowtail butterfly with broad bands of emerald green on black wings. The green color is produced by yellow and blue structural layers overlapping. It has graceful spatulate tails on the hindwings.

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Did You Know?

The emerald green color is actually an optical illusion created by alternating layers of yellow and blue on the wing scales.

Neotropical Robber Fly

A slender tropical robber fly found in South American lowland forests. It hunts from leaf tips in the forest understory.

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Did You Know?

The genus Ommatius is one of the most species-rich robber fly genera in the tropics.