Foxy Charaxes vs Window Gnat

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Foxy Charaxes Window Gnat
Scientific Name Charaxes jasius saturnus Sylvicola fenestralis
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Nymphalidae Anisopodidae
Size 75-90 mm wingspan 5-7 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Underground
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions East Africa, Southern Africa Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Foxy Charaxes

A powerful butterfly with rich orange-brown wings edged in dark brown with blue spots. The underside is intricately patterned in silver and russet.

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Did You Know?

It is the only charaxes species also found in Europe, where the nominate subspecies occurs around the Mediterranean.

Window Gnat

A small, delicate fly with dark-spotted wings often found resting on windows and walls. Larvae develop in fermenting organic matter and tree sap runs.

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Did You Know?

Despite being one of the most commonly encountered flies on windows throughout Europe, this species remains largely unstudied and overlooked by entomologists.