Five-Spotted Hawk Moth vs Pepe Para Riki (Common Copper)
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Five-Spotted Hawk Moth | Pepe Para Riki (Common Copper) |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Manduca quinquemaculata | Lycaena salustius |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Sphingidae | Lycaenidae |
| Size | 95-130 mm wingspan | 20-30 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Farmland | Beaches & Coastal |
| Diet | Nectar Feeders | Nectar Feeders |
| Regions | Throughout North America | Oceania (New Zealand) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Five-Spotted Hawk Moth
A large mottled gray moth whose caterpillar is the familiar tomato hornworm with a distinctive black horn. The adult has five pairs of yellow-orange spots on its abdomen.
Did You Know?
Its caterpillar is frequently confused with the tobacco hornworm but can be distinguished by its V-shaped white markings instead of diagonal stripes.
Pepe Para Riki (Common Copper)
New Zealand's most common endemic butterfly, a small copper-coloured species found in open habitats throughout the country. Males are bright coppery-orange above while females are duller with more dark markings. Larvae feed on native Muehlenbeckia vines.
Did You Know?
The common copper is the only representative of the family Lycaenidae native to New Zealand.