Giant Wood Hoverfly vs Palamedes Swallowtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Giant Wood Hoverfly	Palamedes Swallowtail
Scientific Name	Temnostoma vespiforme	Papilio palamedes
Order	Diptera	Lepidoptera
Family	Syrphidae	Papilionidae
Size	14-18 mm	100-130 mm wingspan
Habitat	Forests	Forests
Diet	Wood Feeders	Omnivores
Regions	Europe	Southeastern United States coastal plain
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern; threatened by laurel wilt disease k

Giant Wood Hoverfly

A large, wasp-mimicking hoverfly with yellow and black banding and a slender waist. Its larvae develop in decaying wood of fallen trees in old-growth forests.

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Did You Know?

It is considered an indicator species for ancient woodland due to its dependence on large volumes of decaying timber.

Palamedes Swallowtail

A large dark swallowtail of southern swamp forests with yellow bands and a distinctive yellow postmedial stripe on the hindwing underside. It has a slow, sailing flight through the forest understory.

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Did You Know?

The spread of laurel wilt fungus, which kills red bay trees, now threatens this butterfly across much of its range.