Feathered Thorn vs Provence Short-tailed Blue

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Feathered Thorn	Provence Short-tailed Blue
Scientific Name	Colotois pennaria	Cupido alcetas
Order	Lepidoptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Geometridae	Lycaenidae
Size	40-50 mm wingspan	22-28 mm wingspan
Habitat	Underground	Grasslands
Diet	Herbivores	Omnivores
Regions	Europe, western Asia	Central and southern Europe
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Feathered Thorn

An autumn-flying moth with warm orange-brown wings and males bearing dramatically feathered antennae. It flies late in the year when few other moths are active.

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Did You Know?

Males use their enormous feathered antennae to detect female pheromones on cold autumn nights.

Provence Short-tailed Blue

One of Europe's smallest butterflies with violet-blue males and dark brown females. It lacks the tail projection of its close relative the short-tailed blue.

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Did You Know?

Males gather in large puddle clubs on damp ground to drink mineral-rich water.