Giant Peacock Moth vs Lesser Citronella Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Giant Peacock Moth Lesser Citronella Ant
Scientific Name Saturnia pyri Lasius claviger
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Saturniidae Formicidae
Size 120-160 mm 3-4 mm
Habitat Orchards Orchards
Diet Fruit Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Giant Peacock Moth

Europe's largest moth, with a wingspan up to 16 cm and prominent eyespots on all four wings. Its brown-gray wings are bordered with white and feature a distinctive dark comma-shaped mark.

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Did You Know?

Jean-Henri Fabre used the giant peacock moth in his famous pheromone experiments in the 1870s, demonstrating that male moths could locate females from great distances by scent alone.

Lesser Citronella Ant

A small yellow subterranean ant closely related to the larger citronella ant. It produces a citrus scent and lives in deep soil nests tending root aphids.

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Did You Know?

Citronella ants are obligate herders whose survival depends entirely on their symbiotic relationship with underground aphids.