Five-bar Swordtail vs African Horse Fly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Five-bar Swordtail | African Horse Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Graphium antiphates | Tabanus biguttatus |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Diptera |
| Family | Papilionidae | Tabanidae |
| Size | 75-100 mm wingspan, tails up to 25 mm | 16-22 mm |
| Habitat | Rivers & Streams | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines) | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Five-bar Swordtail
An elegant swallowtail with pale creamy-white wings crossed by bold black zebra-like stripes and exceptionally long, narrow sword-shaped tails. It is a swift, darting flier.
Did You Know?
It is one of the fastest-flying butterflies in Southeast Asia and is notoriously difficult to catch due to its erratic zigzag flight pattern.
African Horse Fly
A large tropical horse fly that transmits animal trypanosomiasis in Africa. It is an important veterinary pest across sub-Saharan Africa.
Did You Know?
It is a mechanical vector of surra and other trypanosome diseases in African livestock.