Fan-foot Moth vs Golden Paper Wasp

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Fan-foot Moth Golden Paper Wasp
Scientific Name Zanclognatha tarsipennalis Polistes fuscatus
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Erebidae Vespidae
Size 26-32 mm wingspan 15-21 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Fruit Feeders
Regions Europe Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Fan-foot Moth

A subtle brown moth with fan-shaped palps and delicate wing markings. Found in woodland where dead leaves accumulate. Larvae feed on dead leaves on the woodland floor.

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Did You Know?

The males have distinctive enlarged fan-shaped labial palps that give this moth its common name.

Golden Paper Wasp

A social wasp with highly variable facial markings used for individual recognition. It builds open paper nests under eaves and in sheltered spots.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few invertebrates scientifically proven to recognize individual faces.